A Road to Aizu
by ShoshanaFlower
Summary: Megumi, in Aizu, meets someone connected to her past, yet neither of them knows who the other is. Not a pairing.
1. Introductions

Chapter One:

Introductions

Megumi looked around the closely spaced clinic. The day had been slow, and she found she had time on her hands. Rarely comfortable standing idle, she looked about the room for something to do. She started when she saw a figure standing in the opened door.

"Excuse me, please," a boy - maybe fifteen, Megumi surmised - stood smiling in the doorway.

"Yes?" Megumi said, approaching her visitor. "What can I do for you?"

"Is this the clinic, ma'am?"

"It is." The doctor sized up her patient. She found him noticeably pale, even if his natural complexion was light. He was also thin for his height. It was clear to Megumi's eyes that, although not starving, the boy had not eaten well for some time.

The boy began to fidget slightly, as he felt himself subject to the woman's scrutiny. "Um, I was hoping to see someone . . . I haven't been well lately . . ."

"Yes, come in," Megumi said, remembering herself. "I'm the doctor." She led the boy inside. "What's the matter, child?"

If the young man was bothered by the condescending term, he gave no outward sign. His pleasant expression was fixed. "It's a cough I've had, sensei. It's been a couple months now, but it hasn't gone away. I'm sorry to trouble you with something so minor," he half-smiled, "but I can't get any work done. The last man who hired me told me to leave earlier this morning. I have to stop what I'm doing for a few minutes once I start to cough, so no one will keep me working for them."

After listening to the boy's short monologue, Megumi motioned to his shirt and said, "Well, let's see." Obediently, the boy removed the upper part of his light blue kimono, and then began to unbutton the western styled shirt beneath it. He was silent as Megumi felt his back, telling him when and how to breathe. Apparently, he took one breath too deeply, because he began to stifle a cough.

Megumi watched as the boy's light frame was racked by his cough. A dry, hacking cough, she noted. The kind that quickly left one gasping for air while simultaneously trying to expel it from the lungs. At length, the boy recovered himself. Holding his sides, he smiled up at the doctor. "Sorry about that."

"It's not a problem." Megumi gently placed her hands on either side of the boy's throat, only briefly noting that he tensed at her touch. Tilting his chin up with her fingers, she pressed one hand against the underside of his jaw. "Open your mouth."

The boy did as he was told. Removing her hands from his face, Megumi said "That cough won't go away on it's own. Have you coughed any blood while you've had it?"

"No, sensei. Nothing like that."

"I don't know about your living conditions, but I have to advise you to stop trying to work for a while. At least not strenuously. You're young enough that you can get over this, given time, but aggravating it will only lead to something more serious. Do you have someone to take care of you for the time being?"

The boy looked up from a stubborn button he was attempting to re-fasten. "No, sensei."

"You live by yourself, then?"

He nodded.

Before responding, Megumi noticed that the boy's hands were shaking. He saw her gaze and smiled nervously. "They do that sometimes," he stated.

Suddenly, Megumi felt strangely moved by the thin, smiling boy standing before her. Strangely, he reminded her of a small, smiling swordsman she knew from Tokyo.

Calmly, she took the boy's trembling hands in her own, and turned his palm towards her. A glove of calluses covered the child-like hand. The boy pulled his hand back quickly, with an apologetic smile.

_'He works hard,'_ Megumi thought. She looked up at his face again. Thin, hungry, and smiling. She signed inwardly. _'I can't just send him out like this.'_

"Do you have a place to stay the night?" she asked sharply.

"Well, not yet."

"Well then you can stay at the clinic for a day or two," she said plainly.

The boy blinked and widened his eyes. "Oh, but I really don't have that much money, and besides, it's just a cough - "

"Don't worry about it. I can't just let you leave unless I think you'll be all right. What kind of a doctor would I be if you came here to get well and I only sent you out to get sick again? Come here, let me get you something to soothe your throat."

Soujiro looked around the room the female doctor had placed him in. A shaded window took up a large portion of the wall to his left, while the one to his right harbored the door by which the doctor had left. A shelf and sink stood a few feet before him. The room suddenly seemed far too small. He had not wanted to stay. He hadn't even wanted to see a doctor in the first place. It was only due to his aching ribs and chest, and his consequent lack of work that he'd come at all. Now, he was in a room waiting for his good-natured captor to bring him "something to soothe his throat." The memory of those words relaxed Soujiro a bit. It would be nice, he reflected, to have something hamper the raw scratching in his throat. He also told himself that this way he'd at least have somewhere to stay for the night.

After another few minutes, the doctor returned with a bowl in her hands.

"Drink this slowly," she said, placing the bowl in his hands.

"Thank you, sensei."

"You're welcomed, and my name is Takani Megumi." The doctor knelt down next to him.

"I'm pleased to have met you, Megumi-sensei. My name," Soujiro paused, wondering if he should give his real name. Even in Aizu, someone may have heard of him. He knew how big Chou's mouth could be. But he didn't have an alias on hand . . .

"is Soujiro," he finished.

Megumi showed no notice of his hesitation. Soujiro turned his attention to the bowl of warm broth in his hands. He raised it to his lips, gauging the temperature, and took a sip. True to the doctor's word, it felt wonderfully soothing as it went down his throat.

As Soujiro was coming to the end of his soup, a man casually entered the room. He stopped when he saw Soujiro, and looked down at Megumi.

"This is Soujiro," Megumi said to the newcomer. Turning to Soujiro she said, "This is my cousin, Takani Naoto. He is also a doctor here."

"Hello, Naoto-sensei," Soujiro smiled.

Naoto nodded. "A patient, I'm presuming?"

"Yes," Megumi said. "He'll be staying here for a day or two."

"I see." Naoto, seemingly satisfied, walked over to the shelf, knelt before it, and proceeded to rummage through the items on it.

Soujiro set his bowl down and smiled up at Megumi. "I really don't need to stay here, Megumi-sensei. You're much too kind. Besides -" Soujiro unintentionally interupted himself by coughing.

"Besides nothing," Megumi said before the boy could recover himself. "If you wanted to sleep on the streets so badly, you shouldn't have come here. You're health is now my responsibility."

Soujiro looked down at his empty bowl. This woman, he thought, had a very persuasive air about her.

* * *

Well, there's chapter one. As the title states, this is merely an introduction - the following chapters are longer. Reviews will be appreciated. :)  
ShoshanaFlower 


	2. Wandering, Masterless Swordsman

Chapter Two:

Wandering, Masterless Swordsman

When Soujiro first opened his eyes, he had to think about where he was. The last place he could remember sleeping in had been an unlocked storage shed. It only took his drowsy mind a moment to remember the clinic, the doctor, and the room he was in. He recalled the doctor setting up a bed for him in a small room in the Takani's house, which stood several yards from the clinic.

Soujiro sat up, letting the light blanket fall off of his shoulders and chest. By the angle of the light shining through the shades, he judged it to be late morning. The house was silent. No children running around, or adults standing around. He'd met the rest of the Takani family the previous night at dinner. Naoto's wife, Yuri, had cooked for the family, which consisted of Naoto, their children, Megumi, and Naoto's old father. Soujiro had eaten with them as well. They'd all been kind to him. Naoto had been little more attentive to Sou than he had been in the clinic, and his wife had been silent through dinner. The children, Soujiro had noticed, hardly took their eyes off the newcomer. Megumi had been quiet, and the old man had seemed friendly enough when he'd spoken.

Soujiro had slept in his clothes, so he had only to fold his futon and smooth his hair down with his fingers before leaving the room. Passing one room, he heard someone (the old father, he decided) moving around within. Soujiro continued through the house and out the front door.

The sun was out, though scarce, gray clouds showed the possibility of rain later on. Soujiro hardly noticed the weather, but he was made well aware of the presence of Naoto's two children.

"Stop it!" one of them screamed at the top of his lungs. Soujiro ran around to the back of the clinic to see what was going on.

"Stop it, Haru. I mean it. I'm going to tell on you!"

Soujiro saw the two boys arguing. The seven-year-old, Haru, was harassing his five-year-old brother, Arata, by jabbing him with a stick. Arata had a stick as well, but he was defending himself with it. Within a moment of Soujiro's arrival on the scene, Megumi stepped out of the back door of the clinic.

"Haru," she said shortly. The older boy turned around to face his second cousin.

"Yes, Megumi-neesan?" the boy said politely.

"What are you doing?"

"Just playing soldiers."

"Liar," the younger one yelled. "He kept hitting me after I said I was already dead!"

"Haru, give me the stick and don't let me catch you doing that again. You have been raised to know better than to treat your little brother that way."

Haru grudgingly handed her his stick with a mumbled, "Yes Megumi-neesan." Megumi stood in the doorway watching the older boy firmly until he trudged out of her sight. When he had, she turned to Soujiro with a softer expression.

"Good morning, Soujiro."

"Oh, good morning, Megumi-sensei," Soujiro smiled. "I guess I'm the last to rise."

"How do you feel today?"

Sou shrugged. "Better, I suppose. Whatever you gave me last night helped. I slept through the night."

Megumi stepped closer to him and laid a hand on his forehead.

"Good. You can't fight off an illness without getting proper rest. Come inside." The doctor turned and walked back to the clinic. Soujiro followed. Once inside, Megumi laid Haru's stick on a low table in the back room.

"I'm afraid there isn't much to do around here during the day. Naoto usually spends the mornings teaching Haru and Arata, and he works at the clinic in the afternoon. Yuri is already out shopping. You're welcomed to stay here if you want."

"Okay," Soujiro said, satisfied to know what to expect during the course of the day. Megumi looked him over one more time and walked through the curtain that divided the back and front rooms. Soujiro looked around. The back room of the clinic was hardly more exciting than the room he was placed in the day before. Well, this room had Haru's stick in it. That counted for something. After another moment of watching the grain of the table, Soujiro followed Megumi through the curtain.

"Can I help you with anything, Megumi-sensei?"

Megumi turned around. "I suppose." She took a look at the room she was standing in, and then continued, "There should be a pile of clean bandages in the other room. Will you go roll them?"

"Yes, sensei." Soujiro went to the room that Megumi put him in the other day. There was a pile of newly washed and dried bandages in a heap in a corner. Preferring to stay in his current room than to sit with the doctor, Soujiro sat down before the pile and found a bandage end. Rolling the long, thin sheets was monotonous, but Soujiro was thankful for the break from the hard labor he was now accustomed to. On top of that, it gave his hands something to do.

After about twenty minutes, he was finished. Seven small rolls stood up straight on the floor in front of him. Lumpy, misshapen rolls, perhaps, but he justified himself by the fact that he'd never done it before. _'Which is rather ironic, having lived with Shishio-san for ten years.'_

---

Megumi watched Soujiro through the front window of the clinic. The boy was acting as a judge for one of Haru and Arata's games. He could run without coughing now, she noted. In fact, the relentless cough he'd arrived with a week ago was nothing more than an occasional irritation now. Her patient was well again, her job was done. Time to send him on his homeless way.

She looked away. Soujiro hadn't made any indication that he was anxious to leave. It didn't seem like he had anywhere to go. _'He's old enough to take care of himself,' _Megumi reasoned. _'He certainly doesn't _seem_ like he can take care of himself,' _she immediately contradicted herself. It was true. The young man didn't seem to lack intelligence, but he also didn't seem to have a clue. At least when Megumi was orphaned, she'd had some form of wit to keep her alive. Her young patient seemed to have been raised away from the real world. Like the son of a rich family, whose only contacts were servants and private teachers. It didn't seem right to send him out like that.

Outside, Soujiro excused himself from the boys' game and headed towards the clinic. "Megumi-sensei?" he called as he stepped inside. "I'm a little late today. Can I still help you?" Sou paused and looked around the room. The doctor wasn't there.

---

"Naoto?" Megumi entered the Takani house. Naoko and Yuri looked up from their tea when she entered.

"I'm sorry I've intruded," she continued. "I'd like to speak with you, Naoto."

"All right, sit down, then. What is it?"

Megumi remained standing. "I have to ask you something about Soujiro."

Naoto waited for her to go on.

"I want to ask him to stay here."

"What?"

"He doesn't have any family or anywhere to go –"

"Megumi," Naoto interrupted. "You can't keep every stray dog you take in and patch up."

"He's not a stray dog. He's a b- a young man without any ties. And he –"

"He can take care of himself, Megumi," Naoto continued calmly. "He's not a child. And we really don't have the means to keep an extra mouth right now."

"He's earned his keep thus far; he's not just an empty mouth. Besides, he could be an apprentice."

"Come on, now. He hardly has the brains to be an apprentice."

Megumi released an irritated sigh. "I just can't see sending him out like this. He -"

"You send all your other patients home when they're well."

"He doesn't have a home to go to, Naoko. Listen – "

"Megumi,"

"_Please _stop interrupting me, Naoto. I'd like to finish my sentences."

Naoto nodded, willing to patronize his little cousin.

"Let him stay for a while. He earns his keep. You've seen how he works around here. He hasn't caused any trouble. How hard would it be to keep another hand? At least for a while."

Naoto sighed, noticeably, and sat still for several moments. "Fine, Megumi. You can keep him. I'll tell Otousan."

'_Thank you for the sacrifice,'_ Megumi thought sarcastically. "Thank you, Naoto." Megumi stood and bowed to Yuri. "I'm sorry I've interrupted."

---

"Oh, there you are, Megumi-sensei." Soujiro sat in the grass behind the clinic, leaning over a bucket. He smiled at Megumi as she approached. "I didn't think you'd mind, so I washed your scissors and things."

"No, Soujiro, I don't mind." Megumi carefully watched his face for a response as she said, "You're well enough to leave now."

The young man's smile disappeared for a moment, but returned quickly. "Okay. I'll just finish this up before I go."

"But ... you don't have to."

The smile vanished again, and a puzzled look took over. Soujiro looked at the metal tools submerged in the water. "You don't want me to finish?"

"No. I mean, you don't have to leave. You're welcomed to stay with us if you want to."

Soujiro sat still, as though trying to comprehend.

"You're not obligated to, but you can stay if you'd like to. You could work as my assistant."

Soujiro looked back to the water. Then he looked at Megumi again. "Permanently?" he asked.

Megumi hadn't expected that question. Nor did she know the answer. "Well …"

"As long as it's not permanent," the smile returned once more, "I'd love to stay here. For a while. But I'll have to leave again, you know."

"Why?"

Soujiro smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Because." He lifted the scissors from the bucket and dried them carefully on a rag.


	3. Further Introductions

Chapter Three:

Further Introductions

Soujiro's presence at the clinic became an accepted part of daily life. Everyone found him helpful and pleasant. Surgical instruments were always washed and sterilized before anyone even had a chance to ask. He kept the rooms swept and clean, and he was never underfoot.

Still, Megumi found him somewhat … off. She couldn't place it, but there seemed to be something lacking in her young assistant. Since she'd met him almost a month ago, she'd never heard him complain or even show discontent about anything. Though Megumi reasoned he was simply grateful and respectful, the answer didn't satisfy her. There was some form of shallowness about him that she simply couldn't name.

Sometime during the third week of Soujiro's stay, Megumi was locking the front door of the clinic when she heard a sound from outside. Pausing where she stood, she listened. It sounded like someone crying, and it sounded like it was coming from the side of the clinic. Quietly, she opened the door and slipped outside. The moon offered her little light as she sought out the source of the noise. As she rounded the corner, the faint sound became more audible. It was someone crying, she was sure. Moving away from the wall of the building, Megumi followed the sound to a small thicket of trees a few yards away. After a few steps, she was able to make out the form of a person sitting against one of the taller trees.

"Excuse me," she called. "Who's there? Are you hurt?"

The figured looked up, apparently trying to focus on the doctor. Megumi stepped closer to him. Her jaw loosened when she realized it was Soujiro.

"Soujiro?" She quickly moved over the sandy ground towards him. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

The boy made an obvious effort to smile. Half-succeeding, he said, "Nothing's really wrong, I was just crying. I'm – I don't know why."

Apparently not satisfied by the explanation, Megumi waited for more.

"I'm usually okay during the day, but at night I just can't help it sometimes. I come out here so that Haru and Arata won't hear me."

Megumi was taken by surprise by his last words. He'd been out here crying before? The doctor felt a twinge of guilt for not knowing. Or for not paying attention enough to know. She held her hand out to him.

"Well, you don't need to cry all alone in the bushes. Come inside the clinic."

Slowly, Soujiro rose and the two walked back inside together, Megumi thinking about what he'd had said.

- - -

"Soujiro, how old are you?"

The boy, while closing the clinic's door, turned and responded, "Nineteen, Megumi-sensei."

That was a surprise. "That old?"

Soujiro wondered blankly if the doctor's surprised expression was good or bad.

"You just look younger. Here," she said taking a wash cloth, "come wash your face."

After Soujiro had cleaned away his tears and insisted he was all right, the two locked the clinic and walked back to the house. They parted at Megumi's room with Soujiro smiling and assuring her that he would be fine. Although Megumi finally bade him goodnight, she was hardly convinced that he was "fine." She was also more confused by her charge then she had been before.

- - -

For the next few days, things went well. Bearing in mind the way she'd found Soujiro in tears, Megumi was careful to speak to him kindly, and tried not to snap at him when things became stressful. One day, when there was nothing pressing to do, and the two were alone in the side room of the clinic eating lunch, Megumi finally decided to ask what had been on her mind for some time.

"Soujiro, where were you before you came here?" Before finding out his age, Megumi guessed that he'd left his home or that he'd been orphaned. More recently, however, she wondered if he'd perhaps just set out on his own – a bit less than adequately prepared.

Soujiro swallowed what was in his mouth and looked at Megumi. It seemed safe, as far as he could tell, to tell this woman the basics. "Before I came here I was just in another city. I'm sort of a wanderer." He lifted another clump of rice to his mouth.

"A wanderer? What do you mean?"

Taking a brief moment to consider his answer, Soujiro set down his chopsticks and said, "Maybe I should have said 'rurouni.' I used to carry a sword, but now I'm just wandering for a while."

Megumi blinked in surprise. "Are you serious?" _'Then the marks on his hands were sword calluses. But that doesn't make any sense. This boy is far too young to have seen the bakumatsu, but what other reason would there be for him to have been a swordsman? The son of a samurai maybe?'_

"No, I'm quite serious, Megumi-sensei. I knew two men who both wandered for ten years, and they ended up with two opposite truths. I want to find out which truth I believe, or else find my own."

Megumi felt as though her heart had stopped. _'Two men. Ten years. A wanderer. A swordsman.'_ A name came to the top of Megumi's mind. One that Sanoske had told her. Seta Soujiro

Her Soujiro.

"Seta Soujiro," Megumi whispered.

Upon hearing his full name from the doctor's mouth, Soujiro's shock matched Megumi's. A nervous smile wound itself around his lips as he said, "What?"

"Your name," Megumi said, taking back her voice. "Your name is Seta Soujiro."

Soujiro looked around, suddenly feeling trapped. Trapped in the same room he'd come to tell himself he was safe in. He couldn't find the words to protest her accusation. It was true. Though he had no idea how she could have known …

The stories Sanoske had told Megumi all came flooding back to her. "You fought for Shishio Makoto. You're the one who fought against Ken-san." Scores of thoughts raced through her mind, but one realization stood out among them: This boy – who'd been living with her, who's stay she had fought for – had come very close to killing Kenshin.

"You little demon," she shouted at him. "You gave Kenshin the scar on his back. You helped that monster who nearly killed him!"

Again, Soujiro had no answer.

Megumi sat in blank astonishment at the realization. She was looking at Soujiro no Tenken.

"You … Get out. Get out of here right now."

Soujiro rose, methodically, and moved towards the door. "I'm sorry, Megumi-sensei."

- - -

_'How is it my past can find me here? Of all the people in Aizu, I happen to find someone who knows Himura-san.'_ Soujiro quietly slid open the door to the house and made his way down the hall to the room he shared with the boys_. 'I wonder who on earth she is?'_ In the midst of being recognized as a murderer and thrown out of a makeshift home, Soujiro was curious.

_'Our information never said anything about a friend in Aizu. At least, not to my knowledge. A lover? But why would she be out here? Himura-san was living in Tokyo.'_ Suddenly he stopped short and barely resisted the urge to smack himself in the head. _'The doctor woman! There was a doctor who lived in Tokyo and knew Himura-san. She was so insignificant I never thought of her.'_

His bed was already made up, with his worn traveling bag resting next to it on the floor. It only contained an extra pair of shoes and a small amount of money, so he'd never found a reason to unpack it. _'I guess I always thought someone would find me out. It's not like I could stay here forever, though wandering is a lot more tiring that I thought it would be.'_

Sou paused. It was one of those feelings again. Vainly, he tried to blink away the coming tears. Emotions really did have a way of showing up at the most inopportune times, as he'd often thought in the past year. Slinging his light bag over his shoulder, he stood to leave. The sooner he could get away, the sooner he could put it from his mind and start somewhere else once again.

- - -

Megumi sat in the clinic, trying to rein in her thoughts. All this time. All this time she'd been harboring the personal assassin of Shishio Makoto. She berated herself for not realizing it before. His appearance, his nearly perpetual smile, even his name. She hadn't had a clue. Even so, she reasoned, a hundred boys could have passed by the same description, and "Soujiro" wasn't an uncommon name.

She looked down at his unfinished lunch. It was only a simple bowl of rice, his chopsticks laying neatly on the rim. Without knowing why, Megumi suddenly felt sorry. She couldn't help thinking of the boy curled against the trunk of a tree, crying without a reason. Or the thin young man with the hacking cough and trembling hands who'd come to the clinic not even a month before.

But her bitterness returned as she remembered the day she'd arrived in Kyoto after receiving Kaoru's letter. Kenshin lay unconscious and injured beyond anything she'd ever seen. His pale skin so frighteningly contrasting with his limp, red hair was a picture stained into her memory. She remembered sitting with him one night, replacing the bandage over the horrible scar – Soujiro's scar. She never wanted to see him hurt like that again. Hurt by an evil like Soujiro.

No, she thought, that didn't work. Soujiro wasn't evil. The young man who cleaned her scissors may have been a murderer, but he wasn't evil. Like …

Not like Kenshin.

As much as the image of Kenshin's blood-soaked bandages, the image of Soujiro's callused, shaking hands fought for ground in her mind. _'Don't you dare feel pity for him,'_ she warned herself. _'He's a hitokiri.'_

Abruptly, Megumi looked up. The word seemed so hard, even if she hadn't actually spoken it. _'Hitokiri.'_

Just like Kenshin.

Kenshin, wandering for ten years, with the merciless ghosts of his past following him no matter where he tried to take refuge. Kenshin, patiently washing dishes or clothes, being thankful for a place to stay. Kenshin, making no defense for himself when someone threw part of his past in his face. There was only one image in Megumi's mind now. That of Kenshin, sweet and smiling, telling her that she'd suffered enough, and to let go of her past.

"Damn."

She sighed.

- - -

"Soujiro!" Megumi called to the boy as he closed the front door of the house behind himself. He turned when he saw her and waited.

"Soujiro …" she paused when she reached the house.

"You needn't worry, Megumi-sensei. I know you have every reason to ask me to leave. I'm not angry at you."

Megumi tried to force the words from her throat. "Soujiro, you don't need to leave. I'm … I'm sorry for what I said to you. You don't need to leave."

Soujiro's timid expression turned to one of confusion and partial distrust. "Well, I'm sure it would be best for me to leave anyway. I am a wanderer after all."

Megumi took hold of his arm as he turned away from her. "Soujiro, I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice more harsh than apologetic. Her attention was momentarily drawn to his hand, which had begun to quaver slightly. "I don't want you to go. But you can only stay here if you tell me something. Tell me that you're not a murderer. Not now. If you can say that and mean it, then I don't care who you used to be."

Soujiro watched her face intently as she spoke. The situation, for him, had gone from confusing to hopelessly confusing. Why on earth did she want him to stay? "I don't believe I can say that, Megumi-sensei. You say you'll forget who I was, but I'm not even sure who I _am_. And it's not like I have some kind of vow like Himura-san does."

Not like Kenshin.

Megumi thought about his response. "Then just tell me that you'll never lift a sword to kill while you're here. This is a place of healing, not death."

_'Why does she want me to stay?'_

"Soujiro? Can you say that?"

The boy looked up at her, but didn't smile. "Yes, Megumi-sensei."

"Then come back inside." Still holding his arm, she led him back into the house. _'Please, please let me be doing the right thing, and not something terribly stupid.'_


	4. Reconciliation

Chapter Four:  
Reconciliation

"I'm sorry I'm late. I know I missed the whole afternoon. I can make it up to you tomorrow." Naoto apologized, wiping his gold-rimmed glasses on the sleeve of his kimono. He'd been called away on an emergency and had neglected to let anyone but Haru know. Yuri and Megumi only began to wonder a few hours afterward, when Naoto didn't take Megumi's place at the clinic. No one thought to ask the children; they only discovered his whereabouts when Haru casually asked if his father would come back from his "fixing the fruit-seller's arm" in time to take him out fishing.

Megumi now stood listening to her cousin's habitually rapid speech, un-offended by his tardiness in taking his clinic shift.

"Don't worry, Naoto. I didn't mind," she said.

"You had Sou to help you though," he continued, asking a question more than stating a fact.

"No. I don't know where he's been today."

"Ah. I thought you two had a fight yesterday. I'll clean up here and be back by dinner, okay? Oh, Haru and Arata are still outside. Would you mind calling them in?"

"No," Megumi replied, heading for the door.

"So you and the kid had an argument?" her cousin prodded.

She stopped and turned to face him. "Yes, we had a disagreement. It's resolved, though."

"Oh. I see."

"I'll send Haru to tell you when dinner's ready." Megumi left before he could question her further. Naoto, she reflected, had an annoying need to know the details about everyone else's concerns. She could definitely see the younger version of him in Arata. They'd both ask you the same thing five different ways until they received an answer.

As Megumi walked towards the house, she began to dress herself for battle with her younger cousins. 'Calling them in' could be a trying job. 'A few more minutes,' and 'but it's not even dark,' made up the bulk of the children's' protests. And Arata's newest favorite, 'but why?'

Unfortunately, it wasn't dark yet, so that was one objection she wouldn't be able to counter. She spotted they two boys in the side yard, holding races. With Soujiro. The doctor tried to conceal her disappointment at seeing him. She'd patiently informed herself throughout the day that she wasn't mad at him and that she had been right in asking him to stay. But something about his chirpy little smile made her feel rather annoyed just then.

"Arata, Haru!" Megumi tried to put the line of thought from her mind as she waved to the children a few yards away from her. Arata turned to look, but Haru pretended not to hear. Soujiro looked up as well.

Megumi continued towards Haru, who was busy inspecting the starting line he'd etched in the dirt.

"Haru," Megumi called again. Still no response. "I'm talking to you. You and your brother need to go inside and get ready to eat."

Haru sighed and laboriously lifted his head to look at Megumi. "Can't we finish Megumi-neesan? We're almost done."

"You are done, Haru. You should have gone in half an hour ago."

"Well it wasn't dar- "

"I don't want to argue. Come inside and wash the dirt off of yourselves."

Arata complied without complaint, and Haru didn't protest further. Soujiro followed silently.

The two boys sulked into the main room of the house, sending Megumi hurt looks whenever her back was to them.

"I'm sorry, boys. I didn't mean to yell at you." Megumi felt like she'd been handing out a lot of apologies lately. "Why don't you both go wash up and then help your mother with dinner?" she suggested. "I'll be right there."

Arata immediately brightened at the prospect of dinner. "Okay," he said, scurrying through the interior door. Haru gave Megumi one last, long look and followed his brother, closing the door behind himself.

Then Megumi was left alone with Soujiro.

"You're upset with me still, Megumi-sensei?" Soujiro asked placidly.

"Yes, Soujiro, I believe I am."

"I'm sorry."

Megumi didn't try to think of a response. Somehow, she didn't find the act of forgiving as easy as she thought she would.

"Are those Takani-sensei's swords?" Soujiro asked, looking at the three swords displayed on the wall he was facing. Megumi realized he was referring to her uncle and turned to look at the swords.

"Yes. From before the Bakumatsu. He's held on to them for these past twelve years."

"Ah."

Looking back at Soujiro, Megumi continued, "What makes you ask?"

"Nothing. I just assumed they were his. But they might have belonged to your father. You're father's dead, isn't he?"

Megumi tried to determine where Soujiro was headed with his line of questions. "Yes, he is. Why?"

"No reason. You've just never spoken about your immediate family, or why you live with your cousins."

"You've never spoken about yours, either," Megumi countered.

A small, apologetic smile crossed Soujiro's face. "Well, if I have to tell you about mine for you to tell me about yours, perhaps we simply shouldn't discuss it."

After a moment, Megumi asked - without accusation, "Do they know who you are?"

"They're dead." Sou let his eyes wander to the wakizashi on the wall.

"Oh," was Megumi's only answer. Another silence. "Did Shishio teach you kendo?"

He nodded. "Yes. Sort of. Not his own style, though. He told me I had a natural gift for swords - that I was born with the ability."

" 'Soujiro no Tenken.' "

"Yes, that's why he gave me that name. You know, he told me I'd be the strongest, second only to him. That was back when I first met him. I guess he was right because before Himura-san, I was the closest to him in strength."

"If Ken-san defeated you, then he was always stronger than you."

Soujiro shrugged lightly. "Not really. We parted at a draw in Shingetsu village, and I had the immediate advantage in Kyoto. It was really only because my feelings got in the way he was able to beat me. If not for that, I'm sure I would have won. And I believe Himura-san would agree on that point."

Megumi briefly thought back to Sanoske's retelling of the fight in question.

_"Seemed to me like he kinda lost it. Like the supposed 'seal' on his emotions tore off. 'Course, the Kenshin was able to read him and win. But that kid was good . . ."_

"I suppose emotions get in the way of a good swordsman?" she asked.

"I don't know. . . . Shishio-san seemed to really enjoy fighting."

"It seems more like he enjoyed killing."

"Yes, that too. And Shishio-san said that Shinimori's emotions are what made him as relentless as he was. But then, maybe you're right anyway. I know I'm not nearly as strong as I was. Truthfully, I don't know if I could win a battle against anyone as I am now. Before, there was no question of whether I could defeat the rest of the Jupon Gatana. I could have killed all of them in the same fight. But now I don't think I could defeat one." Soujiro paused, and then added, "Well, maybe Iwanbo."

The name "Iwanbo" caused Megumi only more undesirable memories, so she chose to move the conversation along.

"Why didn't you come to the clinic today?"

Soujiro brought his hand to the back of his neck and forced a smile. "Well, I supposed you wouldn't really want to see me. After yesterday and all. I thought staying away might be best for a little while."

Unwillingly, Megumi admitted to herself that he was probably right.

Soujiro looked around the room with sudden interest. "Wow, it's gotten dark."

It was true. Megumi realized she could hardly make out Soujiro's features anymore. How late had it gotten? What time was . . .

"Oh no." Megumi froze.

"What is it?"

Megumi was about to answer him when light from the inside door spilled into the room. Both of them looked up to see a questioning Yuri standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing in the dark?" she asked. "Haru told me you'd be right in. You're food is starting to get cold." Yuri looked peered further into the dim room. "Naoto isn't here?"

Oops.

"He's at the clinic still," Megumi said. "I'm sorry, Yuri. I was talking to Soujiro and forgot . . . I'll go get him." Before hurrying out the door, Megumi stopped and said, "Why don't you go eat, Soujiro? You should go to bed early: I want to see you bright and early at the clinic tomorrow."

* * *

Author's Notes:  
The swords hanging on the wall that belonged to Megumi's uncle would have existed. Doctors had a high rank in the Tokugawa era and would also be allowed to carry/possess swords, even though they would have been mostly honorary. 


	5. Primary Education

Chapter Five:

Primary Education

"Megumi-sensei?"

"Yes?"

"Am I your apprentice?"

Soujiro looked up at her as he knelt over the bucket of water. The two were outside doing laundry together. Megumi had thought of Kaoru when she told Soujiro to come outside and help her clean. Kaoru did have a way of keeping her freeloaders in order, she had to admit.

"My apprentice?" she stalled.

"Naoto-sensei said I was your apprentice. Am I?"

Megumi really hated being stuck in these conversations. Why did Soujiro bring these kinds of questions to her? "Well, not really . . . An apprentice would be someone who would work at the clinic when their training was through. You said you couldn't stay here permanently, and you're not really being trained anyway."

"Oh."

Megumi had previously decided that Soujiro had to be the most difficult person on earth to read. Even Shinomori Aoshi had ways of letting on how he felt about certain things. With Soujiro, there was nothing.

"Had you wanted to be?" Megumi glanced down at the un-kept head leaning over a sock. "An apprentice, I mean?"

"I don't know. I was just wondering, since Naoto-sensei called me that. I guess not since I'm not staying anyway, like you said. Doctoring is kind of interesting, though. It's almost like reversed kendo."

" . . . I suppose so." That was a new thought. Stitching up wounds rather than creating them. Trying to save blood rather than shed it. Wait. Megumi stopped to think about that. Soujiro found that interesting? That was a good sign, right?

"Is that something you'd like to learn? Medicinal arts?" she asked him.

Soujiro didn't look up from washing. "I don't know. I guess I really should learn something, since I don't exactly have a place as a swordsman anymore." Curious, brown eyes were suddenly fixed upon the doctor. "Could you teach me? Would that be okay?"

Well why not. She'd already taken him into her home, taken him on as an assistant, and now turned him into a cleaning servant. And teaching him to heal seemed like something Kenshin would approve of. "Yes, I can. It'll be harder than just helping me, though."

"Oh that's okay. I can do it."Soujiro smiled.

A year ago, Megumi would have hated the young man for everything he'd done. Now, she was truly beginning to like having him around. And she wasn't entirely comfortable with that.

"Megumi-sensei?"

"Yes?"

"How do you know Himura-san?"

Megumi put down the obi she'd be finger-cleaning. He was as bad as Arata, as far as perpetual questions were concerned. Even so, she'd been wondering when he'd ask about that. "He saved my life when I was in Tokyo."

"So you did live in Tokyo? What made you move here?"

"For someone with no answers about himself, you have a lot of questions about me. You're not exactly a gentleman, are you?"

Soujiro didn't realize she was teasing him. "I suppose not … but since I'm not, can you tell me anyway?"

Megumi tried not to be amused. "I just wanted to come back to the place I grew up in. This is where my family lived. And died."

"I wanted to ask you about that too."

There was no reason not to tell him, she reflected. "My family died here during the war. Do you know about that?"

Soujiro nodded.

Of course he'd know about that. His former mentor was a hitokiri turned military strategist. "I was young at the time, but eventually I found my way to Tokyo and apprenticed myself to a doctor there." Megumi paused, considering how to best phrase the next part. "Sometime after that, the doctor was killed and I fell into the hands of another man, who forced me to make a certain drug. I was always trying to escape him, through one mean or another. Once, when I ran away from him, Ken-san intervened and rescued me." Megumi picked up her wash again and seemed to find Yuri's plain obi very consuming.

Soujiro, meanwhile, had stopped washing and sat in thought for a moment. "Takeda Kanryuu?" he asked.

Megumi let the cloth drop into the water. "How do you know that?"

"That was the name of the man who employed Shinomori-san and his spies, wasn't it? In Tokyo. All I knew was that he sold opium on the black market, and that's where Shinomori-san met up with Himura-san." In perfect calm, he asked, "You were a part of that too?"

"'A part of that?' What else do you know about me?" Megumi raised her voice, staring at the surprised young man.

"Don't be mad, please. I didn't even know I knew that about you. I had no idea that's where you came in to play." Now that he thought about it, though, it seemed to make a lot more sense that the doctor from Tokyo would also be the one involved with the Oniwabban affair. Though he had only ever seen the woman from above, it could have easily been Megumi.

"'Came into play?' Soujiro, this isn't a strategy game! How dare you speak of this so lightly." Surprises never ended with Soujiro, did they?

"I didn't mean to, Megumi-sensei. Shishio-san sent me to do some research on Shinomori-san when we were in Kyoto. I found out that the Oniwabban had acted as guards to Takeda, who was the liaison between them and Himura-san. That's all I know, really. I only just put it together." Soujiro had to wonder why everything he seemed to say concerning the past made Megumi angry with him.

Megumi put her head in her damp hands and sighed. Soujiro waited for her to speak, timid to make a move. If there was one thing he'd learned from Yumi, it was to never speak while a woman was angry with you.

Lifting her head, Megumi continued, "Yes, Soujiro, I was a part of that. I made the drug Takeda Kanryu sold."

When they spoke to you, it was okay to speak back. "Oh." Also, never underestimate the power of apologies. "I'm sorry, Megumi-sensei."

Megumi only turned back to her work, stood and draped the garment to dry. She didn't say much else to Soujiro that afternoon.

- - -

The former Soujiro no Tenken fell a few steps behind Takani Yuri and Megumi. An hour or two before noon, the two women had brought him along with them on a trip to a local school. Why Megumi had asked Soujiro to go, he couldn't guess. Before the three of them had set out, Naoto had taken his sons out to speak to the teacher. Apparently, it was decided that Haru was old enough to start attending school. Arata had tagged along for the ride.

The schoolhouse was rather shabby, in Soujiro's opinion. The wood frame was dusty and dirty, as well as being splintered in several places. The sign next to the door had layers of muddy fingerprints on the lower portion, as though the students made a habit of touching it as they entered. Definitely not a place Yumi would have wanted to be seen in, Soujiro thought.

Timidly, Yuri walked up to the opened door and looked in.

"Yuri, come in." Naoto's voice carried from the inside. Yuri glanced back at Megumi and stepped inside. Megumi followed. For lack of anything else to do, Sou followed as well.

The interior of the building seemed so different from the exterior, that Soujiro was surprised. It wasn't any cleaner or better up kept, but it had a much different feeling. Copied poems and kanji hung from a cord strung over the length of one wall. By another wall, colored paper chains were suspended from the ceiling. The mat-covered floor was scratched and even torn in places, but it seemed like the presence of rough-housing kids emanated from each tear. It was as if some of morning's activeness was still caught inside the room. Megumi was looking around too, Sou noticed.

"This is my wife, Yuri," Naoto was telling the teacher. Soujiro now set his eyes on the man kneeling next to Naoto. He, at least, seemed cleaner than his school. His dark hair was brushed back, with about an inch or so tied at the nape of his neck. His kimono was about as rich as Naoto's - not very extravagant, but a little nicer than most in the area. From where Soujiro stood, the man's face was not visible.

"I'm honored to meet you, Takani-san," the teacher said, standing up to bow to Yuri. She returned the gesture. "Your son seems very bright for his age. You should be proud."

Yuri bowed again, lightly. "We are, Sakuragi-sensei. Thank you."

"This is my cousin," Naoto said, now standing as well and looking towards Megumi. "Takani Megumi."

After the formalities were exchanged for a second time, the teacher finally turned his attention to Soujiro. "Another son?" he asked.

"Oh no," Naoto responded casually. "This is Soujiro. He's our apprentice." When the man turned to look at him, Soujiro saw that his face looked older than the rest of him. Lines were worn into his forehead, cheeks, and at the corners of his eyes.

"I see," the teacher said. Turning back to Yuri, he said, "As I've already told your husband, Haru-chan can start here tomorrow. We all look forward to having him as a student."

While the Haru's parents and the teacher took turns figuratively licking each other's feet, Soujiro took time to study the school room again. He had developed an odd feeling that there was something in there he needed to see. Whatever it was, though, he couldn't find it.

"That sounds wonderful, sensei. Thank you again." Naoto said, smilingly. "Soujiro, the kids are in the yard out back. Will you go get them?"

"Sure, Takani-sensei." Soujiro left the building via a side door and walked over the dry, dusty ground to the back of the schoolhouse. As expected, Haru and Arata were there playing in the dust with two other children.

"Hey, Arata, Haru," he called. "Your mother's here and we're leaving."

"Hi Sou-san!" Arata yelled across the yard. Haru stopped to wave. "We have to go now," Arata told his new friends. "Bye!"

"Bye," Haru echoed, literally leaving his new friends in the dust. Both brothers ran over to Soujiro, and then walked with him back to the front of the building.

"Who were those children?" Soujiro asked Arata.

"That was Sumiko and her brother Sai. They go to this school. I'm going to go to that school too," the younger boy continued.

"You are not, Ara-chan. I'm going."

"No, I can go too!" Arata's voice increased in pitch as he argued with his brother. At the sight of his mother, though, he was sidetracked. "Okasan! Guess what? We went to school today!" Off went Arata in a torrent of words, while Haru told him at every turn that _he_ was the only one who would be going to school.

Soujiro went along quietly, his thoughts unable to leave the schoolroom. Something there held his attention, yet he hadn't a clue what it was. There was just something that he felt he should be thinking about . . .

- - -

Once everyone was home again and settled in, Megumi found a moment of solitude in the empty clinic. The conversations she'd had earlier with Soujiro loomed around her. She still didn't like to think about any of it. His casualty about the time she was held captive still irritated her, but she was now mostly thinking of when she'd had to tell her family. _"Hello, I'm your cousin Takani Megumi. I'm looking for a new career since my job of making opium recently fell through."_

The young doctor much preferred to forget about those times altogether if she could. Even after Kenshin rescued her from that life, it took a long time for her to allow herself to be happy again. Megumi had felt as though she didn't remember how. Of course, everyone helped her, whether they meant to or not. Ayame and Suzume's cheerful childishness was highly contagious, as was Kenshin's kindness. And, of course, Sanoske's knack for ending up in embarrassing situations always brought a smile to her face. It wasn't in her nature to go around grinning, but she had slowly learned to smile and laugh again. Kannryu Takeda and the Spider's Web faded into the back of her mind and stayed there for some time.

When she'd left for Aizu, she didn't plan on seeing any of her family. She'd merely wanted to go back home and open up her own clinic, and to carry on her father's principles in medicine. Every now and again, she wondered how long it would have taken her to find her cousins had someone not told her they were living there.

"Long day traveling, dear?" the innkeeper had asked her. Megumi had arrived in Aizu well past dark. One of the carriage wheels had broken while they were about half way between Tokyo and Aizu, and it had taken the driver three hours to repair. Yahiko would have burst a blood vessel at the man's incompetence.

Megumi was sitting over a cup of tea when the woman had asked her that. Tired from her journey, she merely nodded at the old woman.

"Well, you're here now. That's the important part. It's dangerous out on the roads at night. I never go out if I can help it. You never know what thieves might be out there - or worse." The woman nodded to herself. "What's your name again, dear? When you get old like me you forget things."

"It's my fault, I didn't say. I'm Takani Megumi."

"Oh. My name's Toshi. Any relation to the Takani doctors?"

Megumi was suddenly very attentive. "Yes. You knew them? I'm Ryuusei's daughter."

"Ah yes. Rest his soul. Yes, I know them. You're visiting them, then?"

"What?" _Visiting them? _Megumi wondered if she heard the woman correctly, or if she'd only thought she said that.

"You're visiting the Takanis? They don't live that far from here. Why aren't you staying with them? I'm certainly glad to have you, but you might enjoy your visit more if you stayed with your family."

Thoughts were flying through Megumi's mind like sparrows in a frenzy. "What? Who ... who are you talking about? Who lives nearby?"

The woman looked at Megumi as though wondering if she'd been stranded out in the heat of the day for too long. "Didn't you say you were related to the Takani doctors? Ryuusei-sensei's daughter?"

"Yes, yes I am. Please tell me, who lives nearby? What doctors?"

"Hisoka-sensei and his son, dear. Ryuusei-sensei's brother? Do you feel all right, child?"

The minutes seemed to slow to an unbearable rate as Megumi tried to find the words to speak. "Where? Where do they live?"

"Only about ten or fifteen streets away. You can't miss the house. The clinic is small, but the house is very striking. Are you sure you're all right?"

The only thing Megumi could think of was to pick up her bags and go find that house. Wordlessly she stood up and went to the door. Her two bags where still there. She picked up the lighter of the two and unlocked and opened the door.

"Wait a minute, girl, where do you think you're going?" The old woman stood up and began to make her way towards Megumi, but the doctor was already gone, closing the door behind her.

The streets were almost pitch dark, and Megumi half realized that she'd become used to the brightness of Tokyo. Even so, she found her way past the first ten streets she came to. Everything she did, every thought that passed through her head was entirely methodical. One, two, three, four, five . . . she counted every street. Six, seven, eight, nine . . . the tenth. She stopped running (running as best she could in a kimono) and strained to see down the street. Was this it? The woman had said ten or fifteen. Maybe she should keep going. But she didn't want to go too far and miss it. Megumi walked quickly past the next two streets. Alive. They were alive. Anything down this street? It curved, so she couldn't be sure. Next street. They were alive. They were here.

Were they?

What if the woman had been telling her something that wasn't true? What if she'd been mistaken? What if the woman was too old to distinguish between the past and present any longer? Megumi was stricken with fears. It couldn't be. They had to be here. The old woman had to be right. She had to be. She had to find her family.

She turned down the twelfth street - or was it thirteenth or fourteenth? _"Striking house." _She would recognize the clinic. It would be made visible so that patients would know where to find it. Was this the wrong street? How many streets had she passed? There's a small building. With a house behind it. A striking house. A truly striking house.

_Oh please. Please let this be it. Please let me be right. Please let them be here. Please let them still be alive. Oh please . . ._

Megumi thought she heard her kimono tear at a seam somewhere as she tried to run. It didn't matter. There was a sign by the door of the small building. _Oh let it be a clinic sign._ She was afraid to read it, but she was too afraid to stop. If she stopped, her thoughts might catch up to her and she'd realize how ridiculous all of this was. She strained her eyes to read it.

"Takani Clinic."

Megumi raced past the clinic and towards the house. It was true. They were here. It was taking forever to reach the house. It was only a few yards away from her, but she couldn't reach it. Like being in a dream right before you wake up . . .

"Hello!" She called out in a whisper. Where was her voice? "Hello!" she shouted. "Hello! Please let me in. Hello? Hello?!" She stood there for several moments, calling to any inhabitants who could hear her. Finally, she saw a light through one of the windows. The door slid open to reveal a tall man in his sleeping yukata holding a candle.

"What is it? Do you need a doctor?"

Who was this? She was supposed to know him, but she couldn't place him. She couldn't even see his features well enough to determine if he was related to her.

"Lady, are you hurt? What's the matter? Why are you here?"

"I'm Takani Megumi. My name is Megumi. Please, is there anyone inside . . ."

"Who?" the man pulled back slightly, to block her from entering the house.

"Please, you have to let me in. I'm looking for someone. I'm looking for Hisoka-san . He's my uncle. Please let me in." Megumi had seen hysterical patients enough times to realize she was on the verge.

"Here," the man set the candle down on the floor and led her in. "You say Hisoka is your uncle? Here, Onna-san, it's okay. Don't start crying now."

"What's going on, Naoto? Someone's hurt? Who is it?" A voice from behind them came.

"This woman says you're her uncle, Otousan. She's says her name's Megumi?" The man in the doorway, suddenly looked back at Megumi. "Meg-chan?" he said skeptically.

Megumi heard slow footsteps approach her. She looked up.

"Yes, I'm Takani Megumi," she wanted to scream out her name. "Please, tell me you're my uncle." She still couldn't see his face clearly, but she did see a look of astonishment come over the older man. He absently moved his son aside and took hold of Megumi's arms.

"Megumi-chan?" His gaze moved up and down her, and back to her face. "Megumi?"

The younger man to seemed to finally understand what she'd been saying. "Meg-chan?" he said again. "We were told you were dead! Everyone said you'd been killed in a fire with Sakura-neesan and Jiro. What are you doing here?"

The old woman was right. They were alive. They were here. She'd found them. "Looking for you."

- - -

She'd stayed with them the night and gone back to the inn for the rest of her things the next morning. Yuri had been woken up as well, and the two women were introduced. Megumi had met Haru and Arata the next morning. Like most children she'd encountered, they adopted her without a second thought. Megumi-neesan once again.

The opium had come up later. Megumi felt like not telling them would be lying. To her great relief, they seemed to feel the same way her friends in Tokyo did. Naoto remained aloof from her for a day or two, but then seemed to treat her none the worse for the knowledge. The children, of course, never knew.

Well, at least she'd never have to tell Soujiro. Not that she had any plans to do so anyway. Soujiro . . . She'd become his mentor tomorrow. It occurred to Megumi that she'd always been the student, and never the teacher. It couldn't be that hard. Just tell him what she knew. And don't pass on a recipe for opium and then die and leave him in the hands of a callous, greedy, young entrepreneur. Yes. That should be easy enough.


	6. Life Lessons

Chapter Six:

The First Letter

_---Soujiro_---

I wish I had some clue as to what time it is. I can tell it's sometime past noon, but that's all. And I'm tired. And hungry. Megumi woke me up before it was light because one of her paitents was having a baby. As part of my new apprenticeship, I had to go along and help. I'm already wondering if the apprentice thing was a mistake.

Megumi seems to be in a good mood. She's still getting over the fact that I nearly passed out. Don't ask me how that happened. I honestly can't tell you how many people I've caused to die, or how many gallons of blood I've seen, but somehow, in the early hours of the morning, the sight of all the blood and goo made me lightheaded. Megumi thought it was funny. It's really not funny anymore. Yumi wouldn't have laughed.

Right now, I just want to get home. But for some inconceivable reason, Megumi stops in front of me. I brush past her and continue walking ahead of her, but then I see what she stopped for. Directly across the road from us is a shopkeeper beating some kid with his hands. Probably his son or worker. Megumi turns her head and begins to walk away. I don't see her do it, but I know. I know the sound of someone thinking it's none of their business. I've heard it often enough.

As I stand here watching the man beat the boy, my fingernails dig into my palms. Even if he's only using his hands, the boy's face is already bloody. And the kid's just standing there. Like some idiot who can't wrap his mind around the concept of moving when someone hits you. Even though we both know it's better to stand still. Trying to get away only gives them another reason to be angry.

I am angry. I can hardly feel my fingers anymore, they're so numb from pain. The only thing I can think of is how I had to take that. I had to stand there while they beat me for things I didn't even do. Or for no reason at all. I have no idea what that kid did to make the man angry, but I don't think the punishment fits the crime.

I know Megumi's behind me, trying to get me to walk away with her. But I can't. I can't just leave. I think she tries to take hold of the back of my shirt as I make my way to the scene, but she misses. I can only see straight ahead. I don't have any sword. I hate not having a sword when I need one.

I'm standing so close now I can smell the blood. For the first time in my life, I realize that I hate that smell. The shopkeeper stops for a moment when he sees me, and looks more confused that angry. I've never intimidated people. No one thinks I'm a threat.

"What's your problem, kid?" he asks. He's literally salavating. I wish I was capable of some form of kempo. Anything that doesn't require a sword.

"My problem is you hitting this boy."

"Get lost." He's foolish enough to shove me. Fool indeed. I shove back. And harder than I thought I could. That, and the man is weaker than I thought he was. While the shopkeeper clumsily tries to pick himself up off the ground, I look at the boy, who's staring at me. Then I do the smart thing and run

Behind me, I hear the boy take off running down the dirt road. Good. His ex-boss would have been really mad when he got to his feet. Megumi quickens her pace as the shopkeeper yells obscenities at me. I could care less. What I didn't hear from Chou I heard from Yumi.

Only after we've left the main road and slowed back down to a walk do I realize that Megumi seems scared. Scared of me?

"Soujiro …"

Is she checking to make sure that I'm stable, and that I won't hurt her? What -did- I do back there anyway? Why do I care what happens to some kid I don't even know? He was weak. The shopkeeper was too, I'm sure, but the boy was weak-er.

"Soujiro, are you okay?"

No, I'm not. I'm angry and sad at the same time. I'm regretful for being so weak so long ago, but I feel betrayed that nobody helped me. They just turned away like you. Stupid tears. They come at all the worst moments. They really do.

"Soujiro," my teacher sounds surprised now. I don't blame her. I put my hands to my eyes to try and stop the flow of tears, but it doesn't work. Nothing stops them anymore.

"Tell me what's wrong." I can feel her looking at me, expecting an answer that I don't have to give. I didn't know her voice could sound so gentle. It's hard to ignore.

"I don't know." The best response I can come up with. "I just . . . I hate it when people do that. It doesn't matter if he was stronger. Or evil. Or whatever he was." I guess this isn't really making sense to her. "You just turned away. You were going to walk away and leave him there. "We were both right there, right across the street from him. Shishio-san was right there, and he could have helped me. There was no reason for him not to. No reason except that he wanted to watch and see what would happen. He would have just sat in there while they killed me - and he wouldn't have lifted a finger to stop them. I don't care if I was weak; I was only eight years old." At this point, I'm glad no one else is out on this street, because I'm crying like a child. Right now, no matter how I try to think about it, I know that was wrong. It has to be. I was only a little kid. I shouldn't have had to kill my family just so I could live.

"I killed my family, Megumi-sensei. My brothers and sisters-in-law, and everyone." I can see her deftly step back a pace. How can I blame her? "They found out that I was hiding Shishio-san, and they called me to the house. Then they tried to kill me. They stood there talking about whether it would look bad, and they expected me to wait there. But Shishio-san had given me his wakizashi. So I ran under the barn and took it, and hid there until one of my brothers came to get me. He thought I would just stay there because I was so weak, or because I was so scared … and the rest of them didn't even have a chance to scream like he did."

Megumi's standing as still as though she was a scarecrow mounted on a post. I don't know why I just told her that. I've never breathed what happened that night to another person. Ever.

I've hardly even spoken to myself about it.

"Shisho-san just stood there watching me. I think he was watching the whole time. Like people who put two dogs in a pen and watch to see which one ends up killing the other. But no one at all protected me, or tried to save me that night. They all either looked away or watched from the side."

"Soujiro. I'm sorry." We're both quiet for a moment or two, and then Megumi takes a few steps forward down the road. I join her. Sniffing in my tears all the way, we walk the rest of the way home together. I have no idea what she thinks about what I just said to her. It won't bother me if I never find out. Right now I just want to go home and go to sleep for a few hours.

---

Naoto breathed in the scent from his small cup of sake. Across from him, Megumi sat, quietly gazing into her own cup. The rest of the family, save Yuri who was sewing in her room, had gone to bed, leaving Megumi and Naoto alone to share a relatively calm moment.

"So, long day?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Your apprentice was still sleeping when I left the house."

"And? It's not my fault he's lazy."

"I didn't mean that. I was afraid you worked him close to death."

Megumi gave a cross between a sigh and a laugh. "He was just tired today. I suppose he's not used to this kind of work."

Naoto took a sip. "Any idea where he's from?"

"Not really." It was mostly a true answer. "Just that he has no living family. How's Haru doing in school?"

"Very well. The other day I went to pick him up, and his teacher kept me late to tell me how quickly he was progressing."

Megumi smiled. "The Takani wit, I suppose."

"Listen, I'll be pretty busy tomorrow. Could you get him from school?"

"Mm hm." Megumi took another small sip, making a mental note to tell Soujiro to pick Haru up from school. Naoto chattered on (he was one of the few men she knew who liked to hear himself talk so much) as Megumi half-listened. She was thinking more about her apprentice. Of course, she should have expected there to be some trauma in his past, but she'd never wondered about the specifics. His story hadn't been very clear, but it seemed that he, like Kenshin, had deep regrets about needing to kill.

"What do you think?"

"What?" Megumi looked up at her cousin, hoping he would repeat his question.

"Do you think it's too soon to have him start helping out with the clinic? We have Sou now, so the work load wouldn't be too heavy."

He was talking about Haru, Megumi realized. "I suppose not, but that wouldn't leave him much play time between school and the clinic, would it? He is still just a child."

"Well, it was only an idea. I haven't talked to Yuri about it yet."

Naoto continued talking for a while before Megumi politely said she would be going to bed. Naoto said goodnight and offered to put the cups away, so Megumi left him and headed down the hall. On her way, she paused by the boys' room and listened. Ever since Soujiro said he cried outside to keep from waking the boys, she'd stopped most nights to hear the sound of them all sleeping quietly. She heard nothing unusual, so she continued down to her room, where she slept alone.


	7. Spider's Web

Chapter Seven:

Spider's Web

Dust. Soujiro had never before realized how much dust could accumulate in one small room. Nor had he ever realized how menial a task dusting was _Nor _had he ever realized how many menial tasks doctor's apprentices had to do. He was standing in the back room of the clinic, dust rag in hand, when he noticed that Megumi had left a pile of her things on the floor. Her apron lay on top. Soujiro mentally added 'cleaning up after the doctor' to his list of chores that ranged from washing bloody surgical instruments to washing dirty dinner dishes. Because her apron did -not- belong there, Soujiro picked it up to put it away in the front room. When he did, a note fell from one of the front pockets. He picked it up and read it.

"_Bring your web, Spider, to the shrine tomorrow at dusk. Asking any questions could prove harmful to some of your family."_

Soujiro recognized the first part as a code, and the second as a definite threat. _'Who could have sent this to her?'_ he immediately wondered. Megumi had no enemies that he knew of. The Takani family seemed well liked by their patients and their neighbors - regardless of political standpoints. Really, he wondered, who would have anything against a woman who spent her time helping the sick?

Finding no answers there, Soujiro turned back to the first sentence. The writer addressed Megumi as a spider. Spiders spun webs to catch insects and feed upon their blood. And the note called for her to bring her web…

Sou was standing still, trying to decipher the note in his hand, when it was snatched from him. Startled, he looked up to see a rather angry woman doctor.

"How dare you read my things," she hissed at him.

Sou stood with no response. He had been caught in the act. Megumi hid the note in her sleeve and swiftly walked through the curtain into the front room.

"Megumi-sensei!" More curious about the note than ashamed about reading it, Soujiro followed his teacher. "Megumi-sensei, who sent you that note?"

"It's none of your business. Forget it." Megumi brushed past him and walked through the doorway to the front room.

"When did you get it?"

"It's not your concern, Soujiro. Don't ask me about it again. Isn't there something you need to be doing right now?"

"I guess so . . ."

"Then go do it."

"What does the 'spider web' part mean?"

Megumi stopped and did an about face. "Soujiro! I said stop talking about it," she finally raised her voice. "I'll deal with it. And don't tell anyone about that note. Do you understand me?"

He nodded.

"Good. Go get Haru and Arata ready for dinner. Tell Yuri that I'll be late because I went to look in on a patient." She stooped a little to look at him eye-level. "I mean it, Soujiro, you can't say a word about this.You have secrets too. You keep mine, and I'll continue to keep yours."

Double blackmail, Soujiro thought. Megumi turned away from him and left through the front door.

---

Megumi walked through the streets, with apparent calm, looking at her feet. Soujiro, following at a distance, looked around to see if anyone was watching his instructor.

The said shrine stood behind a row of dingy shops, in a disgraceful state of disrepair. Megumi paused at the edge of the buildings and looked around. Seeing no one, she moved forward. Soujiro deftly made his way to the side of one of the delapated shops, and waited there, hidden, but unable to see Megumi. After a moment, when he thought it was safe enough to do so, Soujiro crept closer to the edge of the building and looked toward the shrine. His teacher's back was to him. She wasn't alone, though. Two men, one smaller than the other, were stedily walking towards her. She must have seen them, but Megumi didn't move.

Soujiro strained to hear what the men said. The shorter one spoke first.

"So this is the infamous Takani Megumi."

"What do you want?" was Megumi's ready answer.

"What do you think? Give me what we asked for and we'll leave you alone."

"I don't have any made," she looked towards the ground.

The smaller man frowned at her, before going on. "Stop playing, woman. We don't want the opium itself, anyway. We only want the recipe."

Megumi didn't answer him, but she looked at him steadily.

"We're most willing to pay for it, rest assured. Only name your price."

"I have no intention of selling anything to you. I no longer make opium, and I won't give anyone else, least of all you, the means to do so."

"I really don't have time for this. Stop fooling around. You have nothing to bargain with, so you're lucky we're offering you money at all. If you were the assistant of Kanryu Takeda, than you must be wise enough to see when you're out of options, and when you're being offered grace."

"I wasn't his assistant," Megumi glared at the man. "And I'm not out of options yet."

"Stop talking. You're at the end here, so give it up."

When Megumi said nothing, the man frowned at her again. "You've made a bad business move, Takani-san. You should start being very careful." With a look to the tall man, who'd said nothing the entire time, the two left Megumi standing before the shrine.

When they were out of sight and earshot, Soujiro left his hiding place and went to Megumi.

"Um, Megumi-sensei?"

Megumi jumped and spun around when she heard him. "Soujiro!" she said, relaxing her tense posture. "You little brat."

"I'm sorry for following you and eavesdropping."

"No you're not."

"Oh. heh. Well, since the deed is done, I guess I know better what's going on."

Megumi sighed and looked away. "I suppose so. Does Yuri know where you are?"

"I told them that I was with you, looking in on your paitent. And since you'd already told me to lie, I really can't get in trouble just for adding onto your lie."

"Well as long as you've taken care of yourself." She meant to sound sarcastic, came across as detached.

"Megumi-sensei? What are you going to do?"

Slowly, Megumi looked back to Soujiro. "I don't know."

"Why don't you tell the police?"

"What would I say?"

"That someone threatened you for your opium recipe." As soon as Sou said it, he realized how stupid it sounded. "Nevermind, then. Why don't you at least tell your family what's going on?"

"I can't tell them something like this, Soujiro. Everyone who knows will immediately become involved. I can't put them in that place. It's already dangerous for them."

"The man you talked to could have been lying to you. How do you know he has the means to hurt anyone?"

"It doesn't take much to light a house on fire, or a clinic. Besides, the note you read came home with Haru yesterday, when you brought him home from school."

"Oh." Even Soujiro knew what that meant. The man had access to Haru. "Wow. Someone really thought this through."

Megumi shook her head and smiled sardonically. "Is this so very interesting to you? Why don't you take notes while your at this?"

"I'm sorry, Megumi-sensei. I didn't mean that in a bad way. If I may," he suggested, "why don't you just give them the opium? It seems like that would solve all your problems."

"Soujiro, did you learn anything at all from Kenshin? Do you know why he has his vow not to kill?"

"Because he thinks it's wrong?"

"Yes. So wrong, that he won't give anyone else the means or opportunity to kill, either. He's repenting for all the lives he's taken. Can you understand that?"

"I guess so. If you sold the opium recipe ... every death from it would be your fault."

"Yes. Like that."

"So then, what are you going to do?"

Megumi was quiet for a time. "I'm not sure yet. But you should leave."

"What? Leave where?"

"Leave Aizu. You're a wanderer, right? You should leave Aizu and keep going."

"Why? You said I could stay. And so did Naoto-sensei. And I haven't done anything wro-" Soujiro considered all the things he had to apologize for that day - "_especially_ wrong. Why do I have to leave?"

"Because it's not safe for you here anymore. If anything should happen to me, they'll come after you."

"Why would they come after me? And what do you mean, 'if anything should happen to you?'"

"Because you're my apprentice, Soujiro. They'll think you know how to make the Spider's Web opium. And they won't believe you if you tell them otherwise."

"But, that doesn't mean I need to leave. I could help you. I could protect you from them. You know as well as I do that I could have killed Himura-san. If I'm better than him, I'm better than anyone living."

Soujiro's words stopped Megumi for a moment. She quite clearly remember the one condition she'd given him, in order for him to continue living with the Takani's. Even so...

"Don't talk about this anymore right now. We need to go back before it gets dark, and before they start to worry."

Soujiro agreed, and the two walked home in silence.

---

After dinner was eaten, and the dishes were cleaned, Soujiro quietly slipped away from the Takanis and found his way to the room where the eldest Takani doctor's swords were displayed. He stood in front of them, and thought of the promise he'd made to Megumi. If he tried to hurt anyone, or kill anyone, he'd have to leave. On the other hand, if he didn't help Megumi, he'd eventually have to leave anyway.

After several minutes' hesitation, he took the katana off of it's mount on the wall. It had been such a long time since he'd held a sword. Habitually, he tested it's craftsmanship by balancing the sword on his finger, next to the hilt. It wavered only slightly. Taking the sword back into his hand, he fell into the familiar battoujutsu stance. He stared down his imaginary opponent, drew and cleaved the invisible body in two. The sword wasn't nearly as good as those he was accustomed to, but it was still a good piece.

Sou recognized that the Takanis were the closest thing to family he had. A family who, even though he was in no way related to them, treated him far better than his own flesh and blood had. In fact, nowhere he'd been during his year or so of travels had ever been so kind.

No matter what he chose to do, it seemed, he'd end up out of a home. Sighing, he carefully placed the katana back in it's place, and left the room.


	8. Spider's Web Continued

Chapter Eight:

Spider's Web Continued

Megumi couldn't sleep that night. Every time she almost feel asleep, she remembered Kanryu and his house. She'd tried to stay away from him as much as possible. His extravagant mansion was big enough that, unless he purposely sought her out, she could go for days without seeing him. Of course, _someone_ always knew where she was. Kanryu had eyes in the form of housekeepers, gardeners, and everyone else who worked for him. That made it very difficult to run away from him and not be missed.

She'd need to plan carefully. Running from a man who's feelers reached as far as the underworld extended was a foreboding task. There was always the question of where to go after provided she could escape his immediate grasp. He haunted her with his ominous, far-seeing eyes. _'I'll find you wherever you go.'_

It was true. Whenever she'd succeeded in running away from him, he'd send someone out to find her. And his only instruction to that person was to make sure she was alive when they brought her back. As a doctor, Megumi had a good idea of what one could survive. That knowledge, paired with some of the men Kanryu had sent to retrieve her, was frightening.

Even so, she ran again. She had to get away from the life he forced on her. She had not been born to kill. Her heritage was of healing. But Kanryu's guards were catching up to her quickly. They'd overtake her soon. She was afraid of that already. They'd hit her and drag her back to Kanryu, who would do worse. She would never have admitted it, but she was afraid of him.

Megumi woke up and immediately sat up and looked around. Thank God. She was in her own room in her uncle's house. She hadn't woken up in Kanryu's wealthy prison for over two years, she reassured herself. Things were fine now.

Her spirit darkened, though, when she remembered that things were not fine. The entire web of opium was forming around her again. It would never let her be.

Megumi dressed slowly that morning and wandered outside, stopping at the enagwa. Naoto would be at the clinic, she knew, and she didn't feel like socializing. She sat down on the smooth wood, which was already warm from the heat of the sun. She needed help, and she knew it, but she couldn't think of who to call on. There was Kenshin, of course. But Megumi didn't want to call on him for help again. He was happy with Kaoru. He was happy not having to fight. He finally had peace, and she hated the thought of taking him away from that as much as she hated the thought of her own happiness being ripped away from her.

There was, perhaps, Misao and what was left the Oniwabbanshu. They'd certainly be competent. But Megumi still felt like a stranger to Misao and Okina, and she had no idea how Aoshi would respond, especially considering how her situation related to Kanryu. She still wondered if Aoshi thought she was partially responsible for the death of his friends. He was impossible to decipher.

Then, of course, there was Soujiro. Could he possibly be clever enough to end it without hurting anyone? Or did he really lack the understanding for anything beyond planned assassination? The doctor put her head in her cold fingers. If only, she thought, if only she knew where Sanoske was. He'd help her in an instant, and she wouldn't hesitate to ask. But she had no one, in reality, save Soujiro. For the strongest of the Juppon Gatana, he seemed so weak and helpless. And, beyond that, as her apprentice, he was now a liability.

- - - - -

"So, Haru," Soujiro spoke up. Both of the boys had been relatively quiet on the journey to the schoolhouse. "Megumi showed me the note you gave her the other day. Who sent it?"

"My teacher gave it to me."

"Do you know if he wrote it?"

Haru shrugged. "He just asked me to give it to her. What did it say?"

"Nothing much. Don't worry," Soujiro smiled. "It wasn't about you." He thought back to his first and only meeting with Haru's schoolteacher. He seemed like a very ordinary man. It was doubtful he had any knowledge of the note. Why would a drug distributor teach at a school? Even so, Soujiro had already begun making plans to find out all he could about the said schoolteacher. After seeing his charges to the schoolhouse door, he headed towards the market.

- - - - -

Megumi opened the back door to the clinic. As expected, her cousin was inside, reading. He looked up quickly enough to say "hello" then went back to his book. They'd recently traded shifts. Naoto would watch the clinic while Megumi made most of the calls to their patients. That way, Naoto could be home to watch Arata and Haru. The decision was also based upon the fact that Megumi had a better bedside manner than her cousin. Naoto was very intelligent, but he treated his patients more like exciting experiments than humans.

Quietly, Megumi picked up her medicine bag and headed for the door.

"Everything okay, Megumi?"

She smiled. "I'm fine. Stop worrying about me." At least Naoto didn't pry. One obligatory question and he was back to his book. Megumi smiled a little and left. The air outside was growing warmer as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was turning into a clear, temperate day, but Megumi felt that the air around her was oppressive. Was this how Ken-san felt? On days where everyone around him seemed happy and youthful, did he feel burdened like she now felt? Is this what he felt like when he knew someone was watching him, wanting to challenge him just to claim something he didn't want?

How did Ken-san look into Yahiko's face each day, knowing what harm he could bring to him just by sharing a roof with him? Megumi avoided nephews as best she could now, for that reason. Her enemies could harm or kill either one of them, for no reason other than to force her to give in to them. It was hard to live a life of penitence when people still wanted her to do evil. It was hard being trapped in her own web.

- - - - -

Soujiro returned to the Takani estate in the late morning. His search hadn't yielded anything significant or even interesting. He'd learned that the teacher had lived his entire life in Aizu, and spent his entire career teaching. So that lead turned out to be a dead end. He went to the house, knowing that someone would be in the clinic. He wanted to find a place to think over the situation and come to some kind of reasonable conclusion. But, once he set foot inside, Yuri stopped him.

"Hello, Soujiro," she smiled. Yuri was a very pretty woman, Sou thought. A different kind of pretty than Yumi-san, though. Yumi had been beautiful. Yuri was sort of just . . . perfect. Her hair was always perfectly in place, her clothes were always in perfect order, and everything she cooked tasted perfect. She was the kind of person, Soujiro thought, that made you realize everything wrong with yourself.

"Hi," he paused and said, to be polite.

"Thank you again for taking Haru to school. The extra time it gave me was very useful."

"You're welcome." Soujiro gave her a polite smiled. It had yet to fail him. He quickly left her and went into the room he shared with the boys. Once he closed the shoji, he sat down in the middle of the room. What would Shisho-sama do in this situation? Stupid thought, he realized. Shishio would just kill everyone. Then, what would Himura-san do? Soujiro considered that. He'd probably beat everyone with his reverse blade and tell them not to harm Megumi-sensei anymore. But Himura-san was frightening. No one was afraid of Soujiro unless he killed someone first.

Sou lay back on the floor and stared up at the ceiling. He would probably have to kill Megumi-sensei's enemies to protect the Takanis, and then he'd have to leave. Maybe that was the real reason Himura-san was a wanderer; he wasn't able to stay in one place. Soujiro closed his eyes and listened to the noises around him. He could hear birds, and the occasional human voice in the distance outside. He heard Yuri moving around inside, too. She walked past the door and as Sou tensed, he heard the swish of her silk kimono. He relaxed again once she'd passed. The sound reminded him of Yumi.

Yumi. He opened his eyes and sat up. What would Yumi do? Although she had no fighting skills, Soujiro had seen her expertly handle heated situations that would normally end with someone's head being removed from his body. He specifically remembered one time when he was with her and Shishio-sama and a roomful of men Shishio-sama wanted to control. The men were growing disagreeable and edgy, but for some reason, Shishio hadn't done anything about it. Instead, he gave Yumi some kind of look, and she took over. She said a few things and in a few moments all the other men were against each other and Shishio stepped up with a solution, which was the same proposition he'd wanted all along. Then all the men had agreed to it.

What did Soujiro have that the drug dealers might want? Their focus right now was probably the opium, and Megumi didn't want them to have it. But he must have some competitors. Soujiro was not unfamiliar with the workings of the underworld, so he had a few guesses as to where he could find the information he was looking for. He stood up and left the room, checking to make sure Yuri wouldn't see him, and set out for downtown.

- - - - -

.One Day Later.

So, he'd left. Megumi stood on the enagwa, letting her eyes rest on the stars. The Takani household was somewhat upset by the sudden disappearance of Soujiro, and even Megumi hadn't really expected it. He'd been so argumentative when she'd told him to leave, that she was as surprised as everyone else when he hadn't shown up for dinner last night, or breakfast this morning. Naoko wanted to go out and look for him, and to avoid suspicion, Megumi hadn't tried to stop him. But by the end of the day, with no sign of Soujiro, she'd been able to convince her cousin and Yuri that the boy had been acting strangely and had probably left of his own free will.

Megumi tried not to feel abandoned. After all, he couldn't have helped her and she'd told him to go. It was better for her to face this alone. She wished her apprentice a safe journey, wherever he was headed, and went back inside to get ready for bed.

- - - - -

After she was sure her family was asleep, Megumi quietly left the house and went to the clinic. She would face the men who wanted the opium tonight, though she still wasn't sure what she would do. If she let them kill her, or if she killed herself, her family would probably be safe, but she shrank away from those thoughts. She'd come to value her life now, with her family and friends. She didn't want to give it up for the new opium dealers, or for anything. She shut herself inside the clinic, lit a candle, and sat down on the floor. She set the candle down, withdrew a letter from her obi, and re-read the lines she'd written a few hours earlier.

- - - - -

Soujiro was going to sneak into the house and sleep in the main room, when he saw a light in the clinic. He stopped in the middle of the grass and cautiously moved toward it. Perhaps Naoto was in there doing something. That wasn't likely, though, since he was very routine as far as his sleeping habits went. It was probably Megumi-sensei who was inside worrying. Taking his chances on it being her, Soujiro went inside the clinic as quietly as he could, and found her sitting on the floor, reading something.

"Sensei?"

Megumi fairly jumped out of her skin when she heard him, and quickly hid the paper as she raised a hand to her heart and glared at him. "Why didn't you let me know you were here?" she gasped.

Sou smiled. "I just did, Sensei." He waited to hear her sigh, a sign that she wasn't really angry, and sat down near her. "I wanted to let you know that you don't need to worry so much about the whole opi- er, about this whole thing. I've taken care of everything."

Megumi's insides iced when she heard the smiling child. "What do you mean, 'you've taken care of everything?'" Images of slain drug lords were already flashing through her mind.

"Those people who were bothering you won't have time to worry about you or your family anymore. They're busy now."

"Busy with what, Soujiro?" Megumi leaned forward, supporting herself by her hand on the ground.

"Well, I found out that the little group here doesn't have any large connections. They were probably hoping to get more business by selling your opium - er - well, yeah. Anyway, I had some arrangements made, and a Kyoto-based opium supplier will be running them off any day now." He smiled.

"What ... what on earth are you talking about?"

"Why aren't you happy, Megumi-sensei? I didn't kill anybody. And now no one will bother you about this again."

"You had a small opium dealer chased out, only to be replaced with a dealer based in Kyoto?"

"No, of course not. They're not interested in doing business in Aizu. They don't think there's any profit in it. And I was very careful to make sure that they'd never find out about you. I just made sure they found out that this dealer was planning to put them out of business. I might have made up a few of the details, but it all worked out. These people are very territorial, you know."

"I ... yes, I know. Soujiro, you really ... you handled all this yourself?"

"Not personally. I didn't really want to go back to Kyoto myself, so I just contacted the Kyoto group from a distance. Shishio had some kind of relations with them, so I already knew a lot about how they operate." He stood up to leave. "I'll let you get back to your work now. I suppose you've already eaten for the night, but do you think Yuri-san has anything left over for me? I haven't eaten since late this morning."

"Yes, I'm sure you'll be able to find something."

"Are you angry at me for leaving?"

"No, Soujiro. I'm not angry. I'm actually thankful. I had no idea you were trying to help me. I thought you'd just moved on."

Soujiro smiled and left without another word. Megumi took out the letter she'd written to Kenshin and held it over the candle until it was blackened. Of all people, Soujiro had come to her rescue.


	9. The Last Loose End

Chapter Nine:

The Last Loose End

"Why wouldn't he simply let us know that his cousin died?" Yuri asked Megumi the next afternoon. The two women were hanging clothes outside to dry in the sun, and Megumi was piecing together the story Soujiro had made up to explain his absence. Apparently, Soujiro had told her family that he'd gone to attend to the death of a relative.

"I'm sure I couldn't say. He's a very strange young man."

"He does seem so, doesn't he? Do you know anything about where he comes from?"

"No," she lied. Though she really didn't know anything about his life besides that he worked for Shishio. "I imagined he was an orphan."

"But now we know he has family somewhere, and they must know he's here, or else how would they have contacted him for the funeral?"

"I hadn't thought to ask."

"He seems like such a kind, young man. Why would he keep trivial secrets from us?"

Megumi closed her eyes and sighed. Opening them again, she said, "I really don't know, Yuri. I honestly can't figure him out at all."

"But you must have some idea. You spend more time with him than any of us, except maybe the boys. Megumi," Yuri's voice lowered to a whisper, even though no one else was around, "Do you think he's a criminal?"

Megumi clutched the hakama she was draping. Cooly, she said, "What on earth makes you think that?"

"Oh, I know he can't have done anything terrible, but if he's wanted for some minor crime, that would explain his behavior. Not telling us where he's from or who his family is, but still keeping in contact with them. He might be on the run."

Megumi was dumbfounded. "Yuri, you've really thought about this."

"It didn't take a great deal of thought to figure it out. You do know something about his past, don't you? Megumi, you don't need to hide Soujiro's history from us. You should know we wouldn't turn him in." She seemed hurt.

"Oh ... I'm sorry Yuri. You're right. I was simply trying to keep his confidence."

"Don't be sorry," Yuri said. "I understand. He doesn't need to tell us the specifics. He has his right to privacy."

Megumi tried to hide her surprise at Yuri's accuracy. Perhaps Soujiro's situation was more apparent than she'd realized. Still, Yuri seemed only to think better of him as someone protecting his family from his reputation, and she had no intentions of prying into any details.

"Did you send him to get Haru?"

"Yes," Megumi responded absently.

"Well, they should be back soon. Would you mind if I left you the last few things to hang while I go make Haru-chan something to eat?"

"No, go ahead." Yes, she thought, Soujiro would be back soon. Since there was little work to be done at the clinic, Megumi planned to give him the rest of the day off as a show of gratitude.

- - -

"He was upset today," Haru promptly informed his chaperon.

"Oh?" Soujiro smiled inquisitively. Once the pair had gotten about twenty yards from the schoolhouse, Haru began relaying the requested information. "What about?"

"I don't know. He was just kind of mean and stuff. I don't know what was wrong."

"Did he look tired?"

"Not really. I don't know."

"Thank you, Haru-chan. That's very helpful."

"You're welcome," the boy beamed.

"Remember, though, this game has to be a secret. Don't tell anyone else that we're playing spies."

"Because spies always have to keep secrets, right?"

Sou smiled. "That's right."

- - -

When they reached the house, Soujiro did his best to slip inside without being detected. If he could find Megumi right away and tell her what he planned, things would go well. But Haru had already spotted his mother and ran to her.

It would be rude to try and hide from her, so he continued walking toward Megumi's room, hoping she would greet Haru and ignore him.

"Hello, Haru-chan," she said, smiling at her son. Soujiro was trying to walk past her with a slight bow, but she said, "Oh, Soujiro. Thank you for walking Haru-chan home today."

He stopped and nodded to her. "Oh, you're welcome Yuri-san." He noticed that she had her apron on, which meant she'd probably already started preparing for dinner.

"You've been busy all morning," she went on. "Are you hungry? I've prepared a little food for both of you."

Soujiro was hungry, but he'd rather have gone directly to his teacher. "No, I'm fine, thank you. Is Megumi-sensei in?"

"She's out back finishing the laundry. Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh, no thank you. I'm fine. I ought to see if she wants me for anything." Sou tried to turn away, but Yuri kept talking.

"She didn't say anything to me about any chores for you. Won't you sit down and rest? You're always keeping yourself so busy."

Soujiro shrugged, smiled in defeat, and sat next to Haru as Yuri indicated. She left and returned in a moment with a cup of tea for him and a small plate of senbei. After he accepted it, Yuri delicately sat down a few feet from him. "Soujiro-kun, I just want you to know that you're welcomed here. You don't need to hide anything from us."

Soujiro looked up and tried to hide his uneasiness with a smile. If she knew something about his previous life, would she say so in front of Haru?

"No one's going to pry into your past, don't worry. Everyone has things they'd rather forget, right? I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable; I just wanted you to know that you don't need to tiptoe around us."

"Heheh, okay. Thank you. And thank you for the snack, but I really should see if Megumi-sensei needs anything right now. Good bye!" Quickly, he set his cup down in front of him and left the room, heading for the back door.

- - -

"Megumi-sensei?" Soujiro found her as she was carrying the empty laundry basket back inside. He walked with her, about to tell her his plan about the school teacher, when he noticed her grave countenance.

"What's wrong, sensei?"

Megumi sighed. "I think I'll have to tell my family about this."

"About what? Oh, the whole ... thing?"

She kept walking.

"I don't really see why. How would they ever find out?"

"Soujiro," Megumi set the basket down on the grass near the side door. "Don't you realize that Haru is still going to school under the instruction of a man who may have had ties to the dealers? I can't let that continue. But the only way out of it is to tell my cousin what's been going on."

"You certainly do keep a lot of secrets, don't you Megumi-sensei. No, don't get angry. I'm sorry; that was impolite of me. But you worry far too much. I've already thought of that. I'll take care of the school teacher."

Again, Megumi felt that the term 'take care of' was decidedly unnerving when spoken by her chipper apprentice. "I think I'd rather you left the situation alone now, Soujiro."

"Why?" His cheerful expression dissipated, leaving a questioning, almost hurt look. "I took care of the little drug company, didn't I?"

"Please keep your voice down. Yuri is right inside. And yes, you did, but ... what exactly do you plan to do with the school teacher?"

Sou's smile returned. "I'm not quite sure yet. I wouldn't want to leave Haru without a teacher, so I suppose I'll have to find someone to take this one's place. But I think I may have to take an afternoon off to figure it all out. Is it all right if I don't help you today? There's nothing really left to do anyway."

"I'd rather you didn't, Soujiro. You keep quite a lot of secrets yourself, and it unnerves me." Seeing that Soujiro again looked hurt, Megumi sighed. "But go ahead anyway. For some inconceivable reason, my family thinks you work too hard. So go ahead and make it look like I gave you the afternoon off."

"Ah, thank you," Soujiro said. But Megumi had already gone inside.

- - -

For that afternoon and the next two days (between clinic shifts), Soujiro watched the school teacher's movements, but found nothing out of the ordinary. The middle-aged man walked to the schoolhouse in the mornings, walked home in the late afternoons, and stayed in his dingy house all night. He wasn't married and he had no children. If he had been in league with the drug sellers, he wasn't a threat now. Finally, he returned to Megumi with a disappointed face.

"I really thought he was involved with the opium affair, but now it looks as though he had nothing to do with it. Maybe someone just handed the note to him to give to Haru."

Megumi slowly shook her head. "I still don't like the thought of it. I should tell them ..."

"Naoto-sensei knew the teacher before, didn't he? Perhaps he knows something -"

"Please, Soujiro, enough spying around. This isn't a grand conspiracy. It's just something I should have done at the start of this mess. I'll tell my uncle and Naoto what happened. Then Naoto can decide what to do about Sakuragi-sensei and Haru."

"Well, if that's what you want to do, it's your choice." Soujiro shrugged and walked away from her, unsatisfied.

- - -

"Sakuragi-sensei? He's been friends with our family for years. His father was a tutor to the son of a young samurai years ago." Naoto, in the quiet living room, seemed pleased to have the opportunity to talk, just as Soujiro had predicted he would. "He's a good man, Sakuragi. We were loose friends for a long time. He fled Aizu during the war, but he returned once the greater violence left us. It's sad, though, his wife died during their brief exile."

Soujiro's attention perked. "He had a wife?"

"Yes, she was really cute woman. Completely uneducated though: her parents were peasants. He had a daughter, too, but she died at four years old in an accident. I treated her, but there was just nothing to be done. A body can only lose so much blood before it's too late. She was already dying when he brought her in."

"How sad," Soujiro said. Naoto didn't seem to notice his insincere tone.

"It was. She looked a lot like her mother, too."

"Was he angry?"

"It was strange, he didn't seem very angry. A lot of people start to curse the gods or their own misfortune, but he didn't get angry about it. He went directly to being sad. He's recovered pretty well. He isn't one of those loonies who go around asking "why" for years on end. He just accepted it and moved on. Why do you ask about Sakuragi?"

"No real reason. I was just curious. It seems like it would take a particular kind of person to have patience with so many little kids." Momentarily, Soujiro took note of his improving lying abilities. Kamatari had usually taken every opportunity to tell him what a terrible liar he was. Perhaps now he would have been impressed with the improvement.

- - -

Once Soujiro was finally able to politely excuse himself from Naoto, he thought about going to Megumi to tell her what he'd learned from Naoto. He stood out front, looking at the clinic. It was almost dusk, and by looking at the window, he could see that Megumi hadn't lit the lamp yet. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to leave his teacher out of the situation and handle it himself._ 'After all,'_ he thought, _'she'll only tell me not to do anything. And then she might watch me to make sure I stay in the house all night. Anyway, if she tells her family about the opium before I can do anything, it's not my fault.' _Soujiro crossed the front of the house to leave the Takani property by the other side - as far from the clinic as he could get.

- - -

It was still a little light out when Soujiro reached the school teacher's little house. He still wasn't completely sure what he'd use as leverage against Sakuragi, since the teacher could always tell the police that Megumi had produced opium - assuming he knew. Still, Sou had confidence in his ability to continue his plan on the fly.

He stepped up to the door and said, "Sakuragi-sensei?." He could hear the man coming to the door. It opened without an inquiry.

The teacher looked surprised to see him. "You're the Takani servant?" he asked.

"Something like that. I'm Megumi-sensei's pupil."

"What are you here for at this hour? Didn't Haru-chan arrive home?"

"Oh yes, he's fine. I'm actually here on a different matter. But perhaps you don't want your neighbors to hear about it. May I come in?"

The teacher looked more confused than before, but he stepped aside and allowed Soujiro entry.

"What are you here for?" he asked again.

"I'm here to find out how much you know about the note you sent home with Haru a little over a week ago."

Suddenly, the teacher's face was solemn. "I don't know what was in the note."

"Ah. Once I saw how uncomplicated your life looked, I thought the same thing. But you actually have had a complicated life, haven't you? You may not have read the note, but by now I'm pretty sure you knew who gave it to you."

"Listen, boy, you have no authority to come here and speak to me this way. Does Takani-sensei know you're here?"

"No, but I did speak to him just before I came here. I know that you had a daughter once who died under his care."

Soujiro watched as the teacher's face relaxed in a twinge of sadness. "I can't imagine what that would have to do with anything," he said in a softer tone.

"It gives you a reason to want revenge on the Takanis, doesn't it?"

"Revenge? No, boy, you have it wrong. There's no revenge going on."

"But you do know about what was in the note," Soujiro persisted.

"Fine. Yes. I knew it was about Takani's cousin. They told me she manufactured opium while in Tokyo and that they wanted to employ her. But there's no revenge. They came to me and asked me to hand the note to the boy. Why would I risk getting on the bad side of drug lords? Have you ever tried to refuse a messenger from the underworld?"

The truthful answer, which involved telling the teacher that he had usually been a messenger of the underworld, seemed too complicated. So Soujiro simply said, "No. But I do know that the dangers involved in being an accomplice still outweigh the dangers of refusing. So you see, you must have some grudge against the Takanis."

The teacher huffed out a single laugh. "You haven't lived long enough to understand this. I have nothing at all against Takani-sensei or his children or his cousin. I'm not one of those people who needs to blame something or seek revenge upon someone. My daughter died. That is all there is to it. I know Takani didn't do anything wrong. The only grudge I bear is against this god forsaken city. I'm thirty-four years old. I've lost everything, and I've never had enough money to start somewhere new. When those people came to me, I wasn't about to risk losing the school or my own health as well. What do I care if it hurts some woman doctor?"

"I guess you have a point," Soujiro conceded. "Her sufferings don't harm you. But, I still don't like what you've tried to do to Megumi-sensei."

"I don't care what you like or dislike. That woman worked for an illegal trade. She's brought her misery on herself."

"Hm. Well, again, you have a point. I don't know very much about protecting the weak just yet, but I think you're pretty clearly preying on the weak, even if it was just to protect yourself. Megumi-sensei couldn't protect herself from the people who wanted the opium, and because you knew that, you threatened her through Haru-chan. But I like Megumi-sensei, and I don't really think she should have to fall victim to you just because she's weak. In fact, I have a hard time even thinking of her as weak at all. Hm," he smiled, "It's kind of confusing when you think about it."

"Sure. If you're satisfied, I'd like you to leave me in peace now."

"Well, I guess so. Since the drug lords aren't around anymore, I guess I have no reason to try and detain you ..."

The teacher walked to the door and opened it. Having nothing else to do or say, Soujiro followed him. In the doorway, he paused and looked up at Sakuragi. "I won't tell Takani-sensei about sending the note home with Haru if you don't tell anyone about Megumi-sensei's past."

The teacher shook his head softly, but he said, "Fine. Since the criminals who came to me seem to have disappeared, I have no reason to tell anyone anything. I'll protect your teacher's interests as long as they don't interfere with my own."

Soujiro nodded - without smiling - and left.

He walked away from the house in the darkness. He had no reason to believe the teacher was lying. But it seemed strange. It all seemed so strange. The outcome of his brief escapade had turned out to be completely different than he'd thought it would. As it turned out, he hadn't really needed to do anything at all.

Rather than walk through the main roads, Soujiro took several back allies leading to a small wooded area not far from the shore. It was a short cut he'd found the day before after spying on the teacher. After a few minutes of climbing through the woods (which were thicker now than they'd seemed the day before), he looked up at the moon to try and gauge what time it was. The yellow-white sliver wasn't quite overhead, but it was high, so he knew it was late. _'Megumi will really be angry with me if I keep her up worrying.' _None of his speed techniques would prove helpful with all of the trees around, but he moved as quickly as he could, given his surrounds. The sooner he got back to the house, the less angry his teacher would likely be.

He had only gone several more yards, though, before he tripped and abruptly met the ground. 'How stupid,' he thought as he sat up and tried to pull his leg back toward himself. He sucked in his breath as he felt the pain shoot up his calf._ 'Ah, I hurt it.' _He tried to move again, but with the same result. _'It ... it might be broken. How stupid. All the battles I've been in, and I end up breaking my leg in this tiny vacant lot.' _Still, the problem of getting home presented itself.

'_I'm sure I'm only about a quarter mile away by now, but I don't know if I can make it .' _He pulled himself up, and tried putting some of his weight on the left leg. He fell. _'It doesn't hurt all that much, but it's not working either. This is -so- stupid.'_

And, he realized, this would probably only irritate his teacher more.


	10. A Decided Inconvenience

Chapter Ten:

A Decided Inconvenience

At first, Naoto had been mostly indifferent to Soujiro's presence in the Takani household. Just another mouth to feed for a while, until his little cousin grew tired of her latest stray. After a few weeks, however, when he'd seen how industrious the vagabond was, he began to appreciate him. The time that Soujiro spent watching Arata gave Naoto some very useful, extra time.

Now, though, the flaky boy with the weird clothing combination was really on his last nerve.

It was one thing to have an assistant who blew in on a wind, but it was quite a different thing when that assistant kept disappearing as suddenly as he'd come. _Especially_ when Naoto was the one who ended up looking for him. In the dark. When any decent-minded man would be in bed.

But Yuri had been worried, and he was somehow honor-bound to assuage his wife's nervous fears. Add to that the fact that Megumi had looked seriously concerned, and Naoto felt obligated to go out into the night and look for the little runaway.

Frankly, he hoped that if he did find him, he'd find him soon, before his irritation wore off and he became more forgiving.

- - -

With an embarrassing amount of difficulty, Soujiro pulled his lame leg onto the dark road. He was thankful to see that no one was on it. He didn't want to be embarrassed any more than he'd have to be. After a few, somewhat painful, hobbling minutes, he did catch sight of someone coming in his direction. 'Maybe they won't say anything to me,' he hoped. But, on closer inspection, he saw that it was Naoto.

"Oh, Takani-sensei," he called, trying to show his reliable smile. But Naoto seemed to have a tight-faced anger, Soujiro noticed uneasily. The doctor kept the muscles in his face rigid and didn't say anything. People like that had always made Soujiro rather apprehensive: he was far more accustomed to explosive tempers.

"Soujiro!" Naoto called, obviously peeved. "What are you doing?" When he saw the young man's gait, Naoto's tone changed instantly and he hurried his pace to meet him. "What's wrong? Did you hurt your leg?"

"I think I might have broken it, sensei." Sou stopped hobbling and stood still as Naoto met him, glad to put his weight onto his good leg.

Naoto knelt down to look at the ankle. Without a great deal of care, he lifted Soujiro's foot, turned it, and flexed it. Soujiro grit his teeth in a smile and forced what would have been a exclamation of pain to come out as a short laugh. Naoto looked up at him strangely and then put his foot back down.

"I won't be able to tell for sure until we get you back to the house," he said. As though remembering the house that he -should- have been in, he said "I've been out looking for you for an hour, you know. And Megumi-chan is worried over you. You really need to stop taking off like this. Let someone know when you leave so we don't have to waste time looking for you."

"I'm sorry."

"Were you at Sakuragi's house?" Naoto demanded abruptly.

Too startled to think of a lie, Soujiro said, "How did you know that?"

"Megumi told me that's where you might be. She didn't tell me why, though. You know, Soujiro, I'd like to know what's going on."

"Going on with what?" Pained smile etched in place, Soujiro shifted his weight entirely off of his injured ankle.

"With whatever you and Megumi are conspiring about. What does it have to do with Sakuragi?"

"We aren't conspiring ..." Soujiro couldn't think of a good cover for his late-night escapade.

Apparently, the older man relented. "Here," he said, "drop that stick and let me carry you back home."

"Oh, you don't need to do that -"

Naoto looked at him sharply and Soujiro fell silent. "I'd rather not take the next three hours to get back home," the doctor said.

Reminded that it was his own fault that he'd hurt his leg, Sou buried his pride and allowed himself to be carried.

- - -

Far from the state her apprentice expected to find her in, Megumi was indeed worried. The boys had been put to bed, and Yuri was keeping Megumi company as they waited. Megumi had wanted to accompany Naoto in his search, but Naoto told her to stay "in case he comes back." She was about to point out that Yuri would be home, but she held her tongue. If Soujiro had gotten into trouble, she didn't want to leave Yuri alone with the two boys and her aged uncle.

The two women were sitting close to the front door when they heard Naoto approaching. Yuri opened the door.

"Soujiro!" Megumi stood, surprised to see her student being carried. "What happened to you?" A quick glance revealed no blood on either man, so Megumi assessed that the damage couldn't be too severe.

"I'm sorry, Megumi-sensei," Soujiro said as a nearly automatic response.

Naoto set him down on the tatami. "He thinks he broke his leg."

"What on earth were you doing out so late?" Yuri asked.

"Let me see." Ignoring Soujiro's apparent discomfort at being examined, Megumi pushed back the leg of his hakama and carefully felt around Soujiro's swollen lower calf.

It was the first time Soujiro had gotten a good look at his own injury. "It's so swollen," he said in wonder at how quickly his bony ankle had doubled in size.

Naoto too, knelt down and started giving Soujiro commands. "Turn your foot to the left. Now up. And point it straight out."

"Is it broken, sensei?"

"No," Megumi said slowly. "It doesn't appear to be."

"Megumi is right," Naoto affirmed. "It isn't broken. It's worse than that. You must have some strong bones, because instead of just breaking your calf, you've twisted your tendon around the bone. That may never go back to normal. You'll probably have a limp for the rest of your life."

Sou's eyes widened.

"Don't be so dramatic," Megumi said dismissively. "He can heal just fine from that if he doesn't push the injury. However," she said to Soujiro, "It will take some time. Possibly a couple of months."

"A couple months of what?"

"Of staying off your feet," she replied flatly.

He looked down at his now enormous ankle. "Oh," was all he could say.

- - -

Four days had passed since Naoto had carried an injured Soujiro over the Takani house's threshold, and things had more or less returned to normal. Megumi had feigned complete surprise when the news came about Sakuragi-sensei retiring, but Soujiro hadn't seemed to care at all. In fact, the young man who was normally so annoyingly cheerful had been rather withdrawn after his accident.

Naoto had carried him out to the clinic that afternoon, before going out to see his bed-ridden patients. Sou was currently assisting Megumi by grinding dried cinnamon bark into powder in the back room. The boy had been listless and sulky all day, and it was beginning to annoy her.

"What's wrong with you, Soujiro? I told you that you didn't need to be worried about your leg. If you take care and make sure you walk evenly while you're healing, you should be fine."

"It's not that, Megumi-sensei." He looked up at her and shrugged. "I don't know what it is though. It's ... confusing." When he saw that she was still listening, he set the pestle down and went on. "Sakuragi-sensei said he didn't bear a grudge against your family, even though his daughter died and Takani-sensei couldn't help her. He just didn't care about hurting you."

"I should think you wouldn't be surprised to hear that. Shishio's soldiers certainly didn't seem to care about hurting anyone."

"Yes, but they all had a reason. _That's_ the part I don't understand. Shinamori-san and Anji-san and everyone else thought that they were justified in hurting people, because it was for their cause. But the school teacher didn't have any cause. None at all. And ... I guess that's kind of sad."

"Sad?"

"Oh, I don't mean that being pathetic excuses him from bringing so many troubles to you, but I think I feel sorry for him. He just seemed like he didn't care about anything. I don't know if I've ever known anyone who had so little drive in life." He shrugged again and resumed his work.

Megumi thought about what he'd said. Could that be a trace of sincere compassion in the boy? "Well, try to show a little more drive in finishing the job I gave you," she said. "It's not like grinding cinnamon is difficult." When her apprenticed apologized with a smile, she turned and went into the front room. No need to let the boy see that she was growing soft over him.

* * *

Notes: 

I assume that Soujiro (like Marvel Comics' Quicksilver) must have some strong bones, with the pounding they take using his shuku-chi (which he may never use again - gasp!). So rather than a broken bone, it made sense that he'd give himself a peroneal tendon strain. But before anyone calls me out on the "two months of inactivity," Megumi just seems like the kind of doctor who is accustomed to prescribing more bed rest than is necessary. After all, she deals with people like Sano and Kenshin, who aren't very good at staying still and heeding doctors' orders. So it makes sense she would assume Soujiro is the same way.

There aren't very many chapters left (I finally finish a story? And one that I started three years ago? No way ...). After this I'll have about three more to do before I put up my pen on A Road to Aizu. Eh, maybe four more ... we'll see.


	11. Unexpected Guests

Chapter 11:

Unexpected Guests

To celebrate Soujiro's return to health, Yuri insisted on cooking a special dinner. The boys were especially pleased that their mother served wagashi afterwards. Eating the dessert, Soujiro feigned mild sadness when Naoto announced that Sakuragi-sensei would soon be moving to Osaka. The new school teacher had already been by the house earlier, to pay his respects to Takani-sensei. Soujiro had noticed, however, that the clean, young schoolmaster seemed more interested in Megumi than either Haru or Naoto. The glances he kept stealing of Megumi made Soujiro recall a time when Kamatari had taken him out in the city. The scythe-wielder had been in full drag, and quite a few men had given him the same sorts of shy looks that the new school master had given Megumi.

- - -

As soon as his benefactors deemed him healthy enough to walk, they put him back to work at full steam. Still, Sou limped if he wasn't careful, and then Megumi reprimanded him for it. "If you let yourself limp now," she warned, pestle in hand, "you'll do it for the rest of your life."

Bearing the threat in mind, Sou glanced over his shoulder to make sure his teacher wasn't watching, and took the old water from the clinic to the edge of the property to dump it out. The day was clear, so he knew he could easily be spotted as he hobbled away. Really, he didn't want to have a limp, but walking correctly took too much time.

"As long as she has some food ready. I'm hungry!"

"Don't be so rude. We're coming to see Megumi, not to eat her food."

Hearing his teacher's name, Soujiro looked up. In the street just in front of the fence, a boy and a woman were arguing. And –

Soujiro dropped the bucket into the forming puddle. There was Himura Kenshin.

Sou wasn't sure what to do. Run? Greet him? He was obviously here to see Megumi, but why hadn't he sent any warning? He didn't think that Kenshin would be angry at him, but what about the other two? They were most probably the ones who defeated the Kamatari and Henya at the Aoiya. As he stood there, dumbly watching the small group walk closer to the path leading to the clinic, Soujiro wondered if Kenshin would be angry to find him living with Megumi-sensei. He might think that Sou came to do her some harm. Or, perhaps Megumi had written to him because she no longer wanted him here.

Before his paranoia could progress, the woman turned to look at him. "Oh, hello," she chirped. The other two stopped and looked at him as well. Himura's eyes shot open, and Sou wondered if he imagined a twitch of Himura's right hand.

"Do you live here?" the woman went on. "We're looking for Takani Megumi. This is the Takani residence, isn't it?"

Soujiro pulled his eyes away from Kenshin and answered the woman. Kamiya Kaoru, he knew. He smiled. "Yes, I can take you to her." Sou picked up the wet bucket and met them on the path. Himura hadn't said anything, so Soujiro decided to pretend they didn't know each other - at least, for a while.

"Are you Megumi's nephew?" The woman asked. She was quite pleasant, he thought, despite the fact that she was strong enough to disgrace Kamatari.

"No, no, I'm her apprentice," he replied, equally cheerfully, keeping his eyes on the path ahead of him.

"Oh. Megumi didn't tell us she had an apprentice." From the direction of her voice, Soujiro knew she had turned to Himura when she spoke, so he didn't need to answer.

"No," it was Himura speaking now, "that she did not."

"What's the matter, Kenshin? Lighten up! It'll be great to see Megumi again." Then Sou heard her speak to him again; "So, how long have you been her apprentice?"

"Oh, several months now." He wished he had some kind of skill in sensing the emotions of others, like Himura did. But he still could hardly recognize his own. Still, fearing that Himura was getting angry with him, he tried to declare his innocence. "I just came here one day when I was sick, and she asked me to stay. I didn't even know her name, but when she found out I didn't have a place to sleep, she let me stay with her family. And after a while, she made me her apprentice."

"Megumi's like that," Kamiya declared. "She seems a little icy at first, but she's really a kind person."

Soujiro didn't reply, because they'd reached the house. "You're friends of hers?" he said, forcing himself to turn around, but looking only at the woman. "You can come right inside then." He opened the door and let woman inside, followed by the boy. Himura paused in the doorway and looked at him. Soujiro found himself smiling in fear, even though he tried to tell himself that Himura wouldn't hurt him - that he hadn't tried to harm him before. But the rurouni only stopped for a moment and followed the others inside. Kamiya was already screaming, "Megumi!"

Soujiro thought about closing the door and running for his life, but he went inside too. It would be idiotic for a half-cripple to run from the Battousai. He found a place for his shoes and lingered by the wall as Megumi, clearly shocked, received her visitors.

"Kaoru, Yahiko, Ken-san – what are you all doing here?"

The commotion ceased and Kamiya said, "Didn't you know we were coming? We sent you a letter months ago. You're cousin wrote back and told us to come ..."

"He ...? I never knew about it." Megumi still looked partially stupefied. "I'm so surprised to see you all... Ken-san ... this is a wonderful surprise."

"We're sorry to intrude upon you, Megumi-dono, that we are. If you aren't ready to receive us, we can easily find someplace to stay tonight."

"Oh, Ken-san, don't be silly. Of course we have room for you."

"You're apprentice was very kind to us when we arrived," Himura said, looking back to Soujiro. At first, Megumi smiled as though she was going to say something, but when she followed Himura's eyes and saw Soujiro, she nearly gasped.

She'd made the connection, Sou realized.

Again, the young apprentice found himself smiling, and a short laugh even left his mouth. "Yes, I was outside, Megumi-sensei, when I saw your friends." He swallowed, trying not to look as guilty as he felt.

Megumi had lost a little of the color in her face, but she shook off her stunned expression and intervened as deftly as Yumi might have. "Yes, Soujiro's been with us for some time now," she said, walking over to him and resting her hands on his shoulders. "You would never believe how quickly he's learned the art of surgery."

To Soujiro's great relief, Himura smiled. "You must be very proud then, Megumi-dono."

"Yeah, yeah, really proud," the boy spoke up. "What's a guy have to do to get something to eat around here?"

"Yahiko!" The woman pounded her fist on top of the boy's head. While they fought, Kenshin smiled gently at Soujiro and then at Megumi. "The three of us should talk sometime, that we should."

"Yes," Megumi agreed, equally calm.

"I'll go get something for us to eat, then," Soujiro shrugged off Megumi's hands and dashed for the pantry.

- - -

While they'd been eating, Naoto and Yuri returned, and admitted to keeping the visit a secret to surprise Megumi. Afterwards, Yuri had cleaned up the food, and Kaoru offered to help. Kenshin volunteered Yahiko to clean the dishes. That left Naoto with Kenshin, Megumi, and Soujiro, until Megumi suggested someone should go see the father, as he'd been nearly forgotten in the excitement. When Naoto left, Kenshin's face became more serious and he looked at Soujiro.

"I'm quite surprised to see you here, Soujiro, but I gather Megumi-dono knows who you are."

Sou felt his cheeks color with a little bit of shame. "Yes; I didn't try to deceive anyone. I just never recognized Megumi-sensei. We realized who we were by accident."

Kenshin turned to Megumi. "I'm likewise surprised to see that you've taken this young man as your apprentice."

Not wanting Kenshin to continue, Sou interjected, "Megumi-sensei is a very good teacher, Himura-san." Then, after a short pause, he said, "I hope you don't think I mean anything bad by being here. It really was an accident that we met, and I was going to leave. I mean, I was going to wander for ten years like you did, but ... I just haven't left yet." Soujiro looked down at his hands.

"This one did not set out to wander for ten years, Soujiro. But it was after ten years that I finally found a place to stay. You should consider that as well, if truth is what you're looking for."

Finally, Soujiro looked up, and saw Himura smiling.

* * *

I have only one more chapter, plus an epilogue, before the story is finally complete. Thank you so much for your reviews.


	12. Goodbyes

Chapter Twelve:

Goodbyes

Since the night Soujiro injured his leg, Naoto found himself increasingly suspicious of the boy and how he had been involved in Sakuragi's abrupt departure. For that reason, Naoto began taking Haru to school. So, while Yuri was inside gathering the clothes for laundry, and Megumi was behind the house talking with Kamiya, Sou was watching the clinic. As there were no patients, the young sat mixing medicine packets according to Megumi's instructions. At least, he had been, until he realized that he'd forgotten a measurement. After a glance out of the front window to make sure no one was coming, Soujiro walked (careful not to limp) out of the back door to find his teacher.

He glimpsed the bright ribbon from Kamiya's hair around the corner of the back of the house, and followed it. When he was near, though, he received the impression that something was wrong. Megumi was standing up tall as she always did, and Kaoru stood with her head slightly lowered and hands held together below her obi. Curious, he quickly pressed his back to the side wall and listened. Kamiya-san was speaking.

"You don't have to say yes, of course, but it would mean a lot to me if you could come to Tokyo when it's time. I'd feel so much better if you were there."

"What difference would it make if I'm there or not?" Soujiro had never heard his teacher use such a precise, cold tone before. She continued, "You're not the first woman to have a baby. If the thought frightens you, perhaps you should have considered that beforehand."

Soujiro cringed, expecting to hear an angry response to what sounded like a rather rude comment. But the other woman's reply was still soft.

"I'm ... I'm not frightened. I just thought, since you're such a good doctor, and a woman ... and I thought you might like to see the baby anyway."

Sou listened intently for Megumi's voice. But after a pause, Kaoru spoke again.

"I'm sorry if I spoke out of place, Megumi-san."

"I'll talk to my family and see if I can travel in seven months' time," was the prompt reply.

Soujiro heard footsteps in the grass walking toward the other side of the house, while Kaoru quietly said "Thank you."

Sou hurried around the front of the house to follow his teacher without being seen. He could tell by the way she walked with her head down, appearing as calm as anything, that she was upset. He trailed her to the other side of the house, by the woods - the place he used to go to cry when he'd first started living at the Takani house. She raised the back of her hand to her forehead.

"Megumi-sensei?"

She looked up, but looked more angry than surprised. Then, she looked away without answering. Soujiro cautiously stepped closer.

"You love Himura-san too, huh?"

Megumi's eyes flashed at him, this time with far more surprise than anger. "Soujiro," she snapped, "how dare you?"

"I'm not trying to be rude, sensei." The boy's tone was, for once, sincere. "I was just saying. It was the same way with Kamatari and Yumi-san." He leaned against the wall of the house and looked down at the grass while he spoke. "They both loved Shishio-san, but he only loved Yumi in return."

Megumi exhaled shortly. "If you could call that love."

"Why not?" he looked up at her. "They took care of each other. Isn't that love?"

"He killed her, didn't he?"

Soujiro smiled in concession and looked down again. "That's what I've been told. But they were like that. Yumi-san may have seemed careless and self-concerned most of the time, but she wasn't really. Not always. When other people weren't looking, she really cared about Shishio-san a lot, and worried for him. It's weird," he smiled to himself, "I think she was the only one of his followers who realized that he was fallible. You'd think he wouldn't appreciate someone like that, but he chose to keep her near him all the same.

"Anyway, what I was saying; Kamatari was in love with Shishio-san too, but he didn't love him back. I usually felt a little sorry for Kamatari because he wouldn't leave the group no matter how sad he got. But he couldn't be Shishio-sama's favorite because he wasn't even one of the best of the Jupon Gatana, and because Shishio wanted Yumi instead."

"So do you feel sorry for me now?" Megumi said sharply. She was taken aback by the boy's perception, but she was annoyed at being so easily pointed out.

Soujiro blinked. "No, not really. I mean, I hadn't really thought about it."

Of course, Megumi did clearly see the parallel that Sou depicted. Kenshin had chosen Kaoru over her as a lover, and of course, he had Sanosuke as his closest friend and most reliable ally. "Kamatari was the scythe-wielder who fought Kaoru and Misao-chan?"

"Yes, that's him. I'm sure he took Shishio-san's death really hard."

Megumi tried to remember what Chou had reported "He became some kind of overseas agent, I think. He made a deal with the government."

"Oh, that's good. I was afraid he might just give up after Shishio-san died. I guess now it's possible for him to find his own way, too."

Megumi leaned against the wall too.

"I guess I am a little sorry for you," Soujiro reflected. "It must be hard to watch Himura-san be happy with Kaoru-san, and especially expecting a baby. But at least Himura-san isn't unkind about it. Shishio-san would make sure he kept Kamatari jealous. He said that Kamatari fought best with a goal in mind, so he always let Kamatari believe that he might win his favor."

"That's cruel."

"Yes, I suppose it was. I think Kamatari was never anyone's favorite. It's unfortunate that he fell in love with Shishio-san."

"Did you finish mixing the medicine already?"

"Oh, no. I came to find you; I couldn't remember how much walnut to put in."

"I'll come show you."

"That's not necessary, I can just -"

"I'd like an excuse not to go back inside for a few minutes, Soujiro. Besides, I don't think I was very thorough the first time. It has to be very evenly mixed; I'll watch you for a time to make sure you're doing it correctly."

- - -

"Himura-san?"

Kenshin looked over his shoulder to see the doctor's apprentice standing in the doorway of the empty living room.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you. Were you meditating?"

"You're not disturbing this one."

Soujiro walked in and sat across from his former rival.

"I've been thinking about what you said. I did decide to wander to come to my own truth. But, I really don't want to leave this place yet. I think I might, someday, but I want to finish learning what Megumi-sensei has to teach me. At least that way," he added as justification, "I'll have a trade when I move on."

Kenshin smiled again. "There is an opportunity to look for a piece of truth in every place you go, Soujiro. I hope you learn what you can while you're here." He set his hand on the ground, getting ready to stand.

"Himura-san," Soujiro stopped him. "I think I have learned something here already." Kenshin sat back again to listen. "This is the first place I've lived for a long time," he continued, "since I left Shishio and Yumi-san. The Takanis are very different from Shishio or my first family. I think Megumi-sensei is a lot like you in how she perceives world. She spends all of her time helping the weak, like you do. And I've been doing it too. With Shishio, I used to resent the weak. But ... I think some people can't help being weak, and so maybe other people should help them. I don't know _why_ the strong should help the weak, but it seems like things work out better when that happens." Soujiro was surprised to see Kenshin looking serious again, but he understood when he spoke.

"This one is glad to hear you say that, Soujiro. Not because it's what this one believes, but because you've come to that idea on your own. Others can tell you what they think is right, but you cannot truly believe it until you learn it for yourself." Kenshin stood to leave, and Soujiro stood with him. "However, there is something that this one has learned that you may find helpful. Sometimes the truth that you find will not have as much effect on you as will the process that you went through to find it."

- - -

The rest of the week moved quickly, and soon the doctor's guests needed to return to Tokyo. The morning they left, Megumi told Kaoru that she would visit them two weeks before the baby was due, and stay as long as she was needed. Yuri gave Yahiko the food she'd made for their journey, but Kaoru quickly took the bundle into her own possession. Soujiro stood apart from the larger group, watching Megumi as she burdened Kenshin with about a year's worth of remedies for any possible illness or ache he could have come across.

Goodbyes were long, with both families waving until the strange group traveled out of sight. Afterwards, Naoto took the boys to school, Yuri went inside, and Soujiro followed his teacher to the clinic.

"What do you think about fate, Megumi-sensei?" Sou asked when they were inside.

"I don't. I try to ignore it as often as I can."

"Why?"

"Most of the time it's nothing but a convenient excuse."

"But don't you think that you and Himura-san and me all knowing each other is a work of fate?"

Megumi looked up from the ledger she'd been examining. "Meeting Kenshin was inevitable for you because of your skill, for me because of his compassion, and since you were roaming the countryside with a cold in your lungs, it was only a matter of time before we became acquainted. If it pleases you to call that fate, go ahead."

"Hm. You sound like Yumi-san. I asked her about it once, and she said nothing was predetermined, but that powerful men were the ones who made fate. She said she found Shishio because she was clever enough to steal a little bit of power from someone else and use it for herself."

"Well, then, what do you think about fate?"

He smiled. "I don't know yet. That's why I keep asking."

- - -

Later that night, Soujiro sat in the empty room, where only a week ago he and Himura had spoken.

"_Sometimes the truth that you find will not have as much affect on you as will the process that you went through to find it."_

He looked out the open, west window. The stars looked like small shards of glass on a black sheet, as they had on the night he'd made that first, painful choice.

'_I found Shishio's truth because to survive I had to be the strongest. But Himura-san found his by using his strength to protect the weak. No matter what I try to think of, I know the way I found Shishio's truth was wrong.'_

He stood up, stretched, and walked over to the window. _'Shishio-san said that my family was evil. All the time I was with him, I thought that 'evil' and 'strong' went together. But Himura's strong. And I know that, in a way, Megumi is quite strong too.'_

Reaching out, he pulled the shutters closed. _'And since Himura is as strong as he is while restraining himself with his vow, he must be much stronger than Shishio-san ever was. That's the kind of challenge I want.'_

Quietly, the doctor's apprentice left the room and headed for bed. No sense in staying up late, as he was on first shift in the clinic tomorrow.

* * *

The final chapter (which is really more of an epilouge), is next. 


	13. 13: Epilogue

Epilogue

Six months later

"Are you serious?" Megumi looked at her pupil, half expecting him to laugh and say he was joking.

"Yes, sensei. Unless you need me around here. But Naoto-sensei is already teaching Haru, so he can help you when he's not in school." Soujiro went back to sweeping the clinic's floor. He and Megumi were on the afternoon shift, preparing to go back to the house for dinner.

"But why do you want to leave so suddenly?" Megumi asked. "Did something happen?"

"No, it's nothing like that. And it's not really sudden. I've been thinking about it, and I think it's just time for me to leave."

"You don't need to leave at all, Soujiro. You've been welcomed to stay with my family."

Sou swept the dust and dirt out the back door. "I know I don't have your skill, but I think I could still help people with what I know. So I'm going to try out your and Himura-san's way and see if I believe it. You understand, don't you sensei?"

"I suppose so."

"I still don't really feel sorry for killing most of the people I killed, but I do see that some of them didn't deserve to die, and that maybe it wasn't right for me to kill them just because Shishio told me to. Anyway, thank you for helping me, Megumi-sensei. I really liked staying with your family and learning from you. He set the broom against the wall. "It's strange too, because neither Shishio or Yumi-san believed in fate, but I'm having a hard time explaining how else we could have met like we did. Don't look sad. I promise to help people, at least for a little while, so I'll just be taking your work to other places, right?"

Megumi didn't answer for a moment. The she asked "Will you say goodbye to everyone else?"

"Of course. I wouldn't leave without thanking them."

"It's silly to start traveling this time of year," she objected. "You should wait until spring if you don't want to come down with another cough."

"Even if I do," he smiled, "I'll know how to treat myself." He held open the clinic door for her, and the two of them walked home together.

- - -

Naoto was surprised. The boys were upset and begged Soujiro to stay. Yuri looked sad, but she alone seemed as though she knew he was never planning to stay. Senior Takani-sensei merely wished him luck and thanked him for his assistance to the family. Soujiro thanked him for the opportunity.

Later, Sou helped Yuri with the dishes, and when no one else was in earshot, he mumbled "I hope I don't seem ungrateful, Yuri-san."

Yuri answered without looking away from her work. "You don't. I'm sad to see you go, Sou-san, but I knew you would someday. You were a wanderer when you came here; I'm just glad you stayed on for a while."

"Thank-you, Yuri-san. I like your family. In fact, I'm really kind of envious of Haru and Arata. Before I came here, I didn't know people could really live like this."

She glanced at him. "Like what?"

"Like ... just liking each other and being happy. Your home is so peaceful."

Yuri laughed. "No one's ever called this house peaceful before. Thank you."

Sou didn't quite understand what she meant, but he smiled anyway.

- - -

"I want to thank you all for taking me in and taking care of me. I know it's a little rude of me to not pay you back for all that you've done, but I promise I will when I can."

The family stood outside, between the house and the clinic, with Soujiro nearer to the street, and everyone else lingering by the house.

"Will you come and visit us?" Arata asked.

"I don't know. I'm not sure where I'm going yet."

"Here," Naoto said, holding a pouch out to him. "Take this for the journey."

"No, no, I can't accept that. I'll be fine."

"You've worked for us without payment for months. I would be an unjust man not to give you something for your service." Without allowing for another protest, Naoto opened Soujiro's medicine kit and placed the money in it.

"Take some of this, too," Megumi added. "It's the salve for sword wounds. It's a good recipe given to me by a friend, so be sure to spread it among those who need it."

Soujiro took it, thanked her, and looked back at the Takanis, unsure of how to say his last goodbye.

Thankfully, Megumi aided him. "It's going to get dark in a few hours, baka. If you don't leave now you'll be stuck on the road at night. I'd be humiliated if someone from Aizu found your body and returned within a single day of your leaving."

"Ha, okay. I'll be going them. Thank you all again. I hope I can visit you some day."

Suddenly feeling awkward, Sou bowed quickly, turned and hurried toward the main road. Once there, he glanced back to see his foster family waving to him. He waved back once, then continued down the road.

- - -

After a couple of hours, Soujiro sat down a little distance from the road to have a meal.

'_Perhaps I should get a sword somewhere. I suppose I've done enough killing, but I'm still not comfortable without one. Besides, it's hard to keep my skills up without one. Maybe I'll buy a wooden one like the kind Kamiya uses. That might work.'_

The food was good. Yuri had made it precisely to his liking. Briefly, he thought he should have asked her to teach him a few things about cooking before he left. Nothing he'd prepared had ever tasted as good as her cooking. Of course, he then realized, people would probably be happy to pay for medical treatment with food, so it might not matter anyway.

Once he'd finished, he stood, brushed himself off, and headed back for the road. He still had to correct his unintentional limp occasionally, but Megumi had assured him he wouldn't have it forever. When he reached the road, he found himself hesitating to continue his journey. The sun was just ahead of him, but the darker side of the sky - leading back home - looked more appealing. He sighed, turned toward the afternoon sun, and wandered on.

* * *

A/N

I hope the ending was satisfactory.

I'm totally indebted to you my readers. Thank you so very much.


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